The Baker's Stone: The Tale of Emily's Magic Bread
Once upon a time, in a small village called Norbourne, lived a thirteen year-old girl named Emily. She was a child full of imagination, with sparkling eyes that surveyed her world with eagerness and curiosity. Her parents ran the local bakery, a prosperous business that filled the entire region with the delightful aroma of freshly-baked bread. Emily’s favorite activity was to help her parents in the bakery, her hands steadily learning the delicate art of baking the perfect loaf of bread.
One fateful day, Emily happened upon a peculiar-looking gemstone while playing in the woods. It was unlike any shiny pebble she had seen, for it was emerald green, exuded a soft glow and seemed to pulsate with an energy unlike any other. The moment Emily touched it, she felt a rush of warmth course through her, leaving her feeling elevated. Carefully, she took it home and kept it hidden in her bedroom.
Days after Emily found the gemstone, something strange began to happen in Norbourne. The villagers were no longer baking bread that tasted normal, it was bland and hard. At the bakery, Emily's parents were at their wits' end, for despite using the same recipe, their loaves of bread were no different than anyone else's.
Emily decided to try baking a loaf of bread herself, using the same old recipe. She worked her small hands with the dough, feeling a peculiar sense of calmness creep into her. To her surprise, the bread turned out perfect – it was soft, tasty, and had the familiar aroma that had always enveloped their bakery.
Word spread in the village about Emily's magic bread, and soon everyone wanted a loaf baked by her hands. Emily, however, couldn’t understand why her bread was different from everyone else's. It wasn't until she realized that she'd been wearing the gemstone around her neck every time she baked.
With newfound excitement, Emily decided to try baking without the gemstone, the results were no different than the others. Wondering then if it was the gemstone that was behind her magic bread, she baked another loaf, this time with the gemstone around her neck. As she suspected, the bread was perfect, filling the small kitchen with a nostalgic aroma.
From that day forward, Emily wore the gemstone every time she baked, and Norbourne’s bakery was once again filled every morning with villagers eagerly waiting for Emily's magic bread. The gemstone became known as 'The Baker's Stone', and the mystery of Norbourne's magic bread was spoken about with zest in the surrounding regions.
As Emily grew older, the secret of 'The Baker's Stone' passed down from generation to generation. No longer just a village baker, Emily had become legend. And with the magical touch of 'The Baker’s Stone', the small village bakery in Norbourne evolved into the heart of the community for years to come.