Once upon a time there were two sisters named Peggy and Nora. Christmas was just around the corner and they were eager to write their Santa List. So the girls put their heads together and decided that they were planning to ask Santa for a puppy. They ran to their bedroom and wrote their Santa Lists. It was a Friday evening a month before Christmas. Daddy had promised them that they could go and post Santa letters if he got back early from work.  

"Daddy can we go and post our Santa Letters?" asked Nora in an excited voice, when Daddy walked through the door at around six o’clock that evening.

"We sure can," replied Daddy.

"Thanks Daddy, " said Peggy.

Soon the family set off to post the letters. The girls were chattering excitedly about their Santa Lists in the car. Daddy and Mummy exchanged smiles.

That night when Peggy marked off the Christmas countdown on their calendar, she sighed.

"I do hope Santa brings us the puppy we wanted. He might think it is a lot of work. We had it on our Santa List two years ago. However, we didn't get it."

"Yes I remember, '' nodded Nora. He left that little note to say that a real puppy had been hard to find. Nevertheless he did give us a clockwork puppy which could run, jump ,bark and even excrete waste."

"Let's hope for the best " said Peggy as she got into bed. Soon the girls were fast asleep. Nora dreamt that Santa had actually managed to find a puppy for them.

The next day she told her dream to her sister who felt a bit hopeful. Peggy knew that her sister's dreams sometimes came true. The next couple of weeks went so fast that it was Christmas Eve before they knew it.

 The girls spent the day making 

Christmas cookies and a

 Gingerbread House from

 a ready-made kit.

The next day Nora woke up first and woke her sister up by hugging her. The girls wished each other Happy Christmas. Nora thought that she had heard the sound of barking from their backyard. However Peggy thought it must be her sister's imagination. Both girls raced downstairs yelling at the top of their voices “Happy Christmas Daddy, Happy Christmas Mummy”.

Soon they were unwrapping their gifts. When they were tidying up the wrapping paper mess Peggy's sharp eyes spotted a note stuck under the Christmas tree. She picked it and read it aloud.

Dear Peggy and Nora ,

Merry Christmas to both of you. Hope you enjoyed unwrapping your gifts. The Elf on the shelf has been observing that both of you have been very good children. 

So I have brought you the puppy both of you wanted so much. I left her in your backyard. 

Her name is Daisy. Please take good care of her.

Have a great Christmas and Happy New Year.

Love Santa Claus.

Both girls ran out in their backyard. They were both excited to see a white kennel with the cute snowy white puppy inside. with a collar and a leash.  Santa had even bought a couple of toys for the puppy which included a ball.

The girls started throwing the bright red ball to the puppy. The ball looked almost like an apple. The girls and the puppy were enjoying their ball game very much. 

Suddenly Nora accidentally threw 

the ball very high in her excitement.

 The ball landed under a huge apple

 tree at the back of their garden. 

Daisy raised after the ball. 

Unfortunately, Daisy decided to have a bit of fun with the girls and grabbed an apple instead of the ball. The moment the puppy's teeth touched the apple it disappeared into the thin air. The girls were dumbfounded. They just couldn't imagine what had happened to Daisy. "Daisy", "Daisy" they both yelled at the top of their voices. However, Daisy didn't appear. 

Then Peggy remembered what their Great Grandma had told them many years ago. She turned to her sister. "Do you remember what Great Grandma Hilda said. The apple tree behind our house is a magic tree. I recall that she said that if anyone or anything bit the apple tree they would instantly be transported to the world of the Land of the Evil Wizard and only a special magic spell that can bring them back".

Nora burst into tears."Oh Peggy !" she wept. "It is my fault for throwing the ball so high.  Poor Daisy ! How can we ever get her back."

Peggy put a comforting arm around her sister. "Don't worry," she said. I am sure our Grandma Isabel has an old diary somewhere that has instructions regarding the special magic spell. Let’s go and ask her”

So, the girls ran back inside the house to their Grandma Isabel. She told them that the spell book was in the attic in an old suitcase. Daddy climbed a ladder and brought down the old suitcase. They looked through the hundred-year-old diary, but alas the writing was very small and difficult to decipher for anyone.