“Mom! You kept that big pumpkin aside for me right?!”

‘Oh dear, I gave it to Aunt Martha yesterday. She was ill so could not go buy one!”

“Mom! I have been keeping that for the Halloween party. Now where will I get such a big one?”

“Well, there is a pumpkin garden just round the corner. Mr Winston lives there, but he went to visit his son abroad. So I assume you can pluck one. Who knows, maybe you can find a bigger one?”

“Genius idea, Mom. I will go right away!”

“It’s just opposite-” Before she could complete her sentence Betty was racing off the gate in her cycle.

Betty was thrilled… just wait till I tell the girls I went to pluck my pumpkin, that too all alone!

She reached an intersection… now which way to go? Where did Mom say the Garden was?

“You said garden dearie?”

Betty almost fell off her bicycle in surprise. A stunted old lady stood right behind her. She could have sworn she was not here a minute ago.

“Er yes, I need a big pumpkin,” replied a quizzical Betty.

“A pumpkin eh,” she said flashing a toothless smile. “Come, follow me.”

They walked a good deal till they reached a small hut with a garden in front of it. Lo-and-behold! There was an enormous pumpkin sitting among lush green leaves along with two medium ones.

“It’s yours take it.”

“Really? You mean the biggest one?” exclaimed Betty beaming.

The old lady took out a knife from her apron. “Cut it!”

Betty hesitated.

“Yes else it will be too heavy to carry.”

“Oh yes, you are so right.”

Betty took the knife and started carving two big triangles for eyes and a mouth on the pumpkin. Suddenly a blue smoke started coming out of the holes made in the pumpkin. Betty stepped back aghast. Curiously, the smoke was taking an odd shape.

“At long last!  I could trick a child into freeing my jinn from that pumpkin!”

“Say three evil wishes my child,” the Jinn hissed.