In which the last story of the year is an old favorite of mine

 The Girl With Wings  (America)

Once there was born a girl with wings.

Wings!

Can you imagine it?

Of course, at first the wings were just tiny stubs, barely visible at all, but very soon it was apparent to everyone: this girl had wings.

The neighbors came to visit, as neighbors will do, and when the neighbors saw the wings, they were appalled.

“What a horrible disfigurement for such a beautiful baby!” said the neighbors. “Of course you will have them removed immediately!”

But the parents said that they were content to wait and see.

And they sent the neighbors away very politely.

The child grew, as children will do, and she learned to smile and she learned to crawl.

The wings grew too, and sprouted pretty white feathers.

And the neighbors returned, as neighbors will do.

And when the neighbors saw the wings, the neighbors were dismayed.

“You’d best be clipping those wings,” said the neighbors, “so that they don’t get in the way of that child as she grows.”

But the parents again said that they were content to wait and see what happened.

And they sent the neighbors away again, a little more firmly this time.

The child grew, as children will do, and she learned to crawl and to walk and to run and to ride a bicycle.

And the wings grew too, and trailed behind her in a blaze of white and gold feathers that shone in the sun.

And the neighbors returned, as neighbors will do.

And the neighbors were very distressed by the wings.

“She’ll be starting school soon, and if you don’t bind those wings back tightly, we’re afraid that the other children will tease her because she looks so different. We don’t understand why you haven’t done this before!

"We are only thinking of the child’s welfare—what can you be thinking?”

“Actually,” said the parents, “we were thinking of teaching her to fly.