Once upon a time, there was a man named Pin who had a unique ability—he could transform himself into a pin. When the time came for him to marry, he returned to his village in search of a suitable bride. However, he couldn’t find a girl of his choice. Determined, he traveled to another village, where he saw two beautiful twin sisters. But since he could only choose one, he decided to test their character.

One day, while the sisters were returning from the field, Pin transformed into a pin and lay on the ground. The elder sister, walking ahead, noticed the pin but ignored it and kept walking. The younger sister, however, saw the pin and thought, Someone might step on it and get hurt. She picked it up and placed it in a safe spot.

Pin, having observed their actions, secretly followed them home. Upon arrival, the elder sister carelessly threw down her basket and shouted, “Bring my food!” before heading to her room. The younger sister, on the other hand, quietly picked up her sister’s basket and helped with the household chores.

Seeing the difference in their attitudes, Pin decided to ask for the younger sister’s hand in marriage. When he approached their parents, the elder sister scoffed, saying, “Who would marry a pin?” But the younger sister, moved by kindness, agreed to marry him.

As they traveled to Pin’s home, they passed by an old, shabby house. The wife asked, “Is this your home?” Pin replied, “No.” They continued walking until they neared his real home. Then, Pin asked his wife to close her eyes. When she opened them, she was astonished—standing before her was a handsome man.

Surprised, she asked, “If you always looked like this, why didn’t you come as a man?” Pin smiled and explained, “If I had come in my true form, people would have pretended to be kind just to impress me. I wanted to find someone who was truly kind at heart.”

And so, Pin and his wife lived happily ever after.

– Khrutsuzu
Grade 7, 2021