The Traded Little Brother

Jimmy had a two-year-old brother. His little brother was lively and adorable, always following Jimmy around and copying everything he did. While Jimmy enjoyed playing with him, he didn’t like it when his brother constantly grabbed his stuff or broke his toys.

One morning, Jimmy discovered that his favorite Transformer toy had been broken by his little brother. He was so angry and upset that he burst into tears. After crying his heart out, he grabbed his schoolbag and left for school with a heavy heart.

On his way, Jimmy noticed a new toy store had opened on the corner. The store looked magical—like something straight out of Harry Potter. The gray stone walls were covered in vines and carvings, with towers on either side. Stained-glass windows shimmered in the sunlight, and a wooden door etched with mysterious symbols stood at the entrance.

Curious, Jimmy stepped inside. What he saw left him speechless. Toys were stacked everywhere, filling every inch of the shop. There were more toys than he had ever seen in his life, and each one was unique—unlike anything he had ever owned. His eyes sparkled with excitement as he approached the counter and asked the shopkeeper about the price of the toys.

The shopkeeper, a kind-looking old man with round glasses, smiled and said, “We don’t take money here. You can trade anything you own for a toy. The more valuable your item, the more toys you can get.”

Jimmy thought for a moment and mumbled to himself, “My most valuable toy was my Transformer, but it’s broken now.” Suddenly, an idea struck him. He decided to trade something even more valuable—his little brother.

That afternoon, after school, Jimmy took his little brother to the toy store. The shopkeeper studied the boy carefully and said, “Your brother is indeed very precious. You can trade him for a lot of toys. But are you sure about this? Once the trade is made, you won’t be able to take him back. Your brother will stay here until someone else trades something valuable enough to bring him home.”

Jimmy hesitated, but the thought of his broken Transformer pushed him to nod in agreement.

The shopkeeper took his little brother, and Jimmy left with a mountain of toys. He spent hours playing with them, but soon, he started to feel lonely. Without his brother by his side, even the best toys couldn’t bring him joy.

Jimmy began to miss his brother—the way they laughed together and the silly games they played. Tears rolled down his cheeks as he whispered to himself, “How could I be so selfish? He’s just a little kid who doesn’t know any better. How could I trade him away for toys?”

Filled with regret, Jimmy gathered the toys and rushed back to the store, pleading with the shopkeeper to trade them for his brother. The shopkeeper shook his head and said, “Your brother is very valuable. If you want him back, you’ll need to bring even more toys.”

Back home, Jimmy looked at all the toys he had left. They felt meaningless without his brother. Determined, he packed up every single toy he owned and returned to the shop. “Here are all my toys,” he said firmly. “I want my brother back.”

The shopkeeper nodded with approval, took the toys, and returned Jimmy’s little brother. Jimmy hugged his brother tightly, tears streaming down his face. “I’m so sorry, little brother. I should never have traded you for toys.” Though the little boy didn’t understand what had happened, he felt the warmth in his brother’s embrace and smiled happily.

Jimmy and his brother walked home together. Even though their house was now empty of toys, Jimmy’s heart felt full. He had learned that the most precious thing in life wasn’t toys—it was the joy of spending time with his little brother.