Once upon a time, in a far-off kingdom, there lived a little girl named Gracie. Gracie was a curious and adventurous young girl who loved to explore the world around her. She lived in a small cottage with her parents and spent most of her days playing with her friends and discovering new things.

One day, Gracie stumbled upon an old chest that had been hidden away in the attic of her cottage. She was fascinated by the chest and decided to investigate its contents. Inside, she found a strange document that explained how she could use something called a "grant" to obtain anything she desired.

Gracie was eager to try out this new discovery, so she went to the kingdom's library to learn more about grants. She learned that a grant was a special type of gift that allowed her to obtain something without having to pay for it. Gracie was over the moon with excitement and decided to put her newfound knowledge to the test.

She created a list of everything she wanted, including toys, sweets, and other fun items. Next, she made an "inventory" of all the items she wanted and went to see the king of the kingdom. Gracie asked the king for a grant to obtain all of the items on her list.

To her surprise, the king agreed to her request and even offered to let her "lease" a castle for a year to keep all of her new treasures in. Gracie was overjoyed and thanked the king for his generosity. She then set off to collect all of the items on her list and put them into her new castle.

However, Gracie soon realized that the castle was not in the best condition. It needed some repairs, and she didn't have any money to pay for them. She remembered something she had learned at the library called "leverage." Gracie realized that she could use her new castle as leverage to get what she needed.

She went to the kingdom's banker and explained her situation. The banker was impressed with Gracie's knowledge and offered to lend her the money she needed, but only if she had a "guarantor" to vouch for her. Gracie thought for a moment and then remembered that the king had offered to be her "guarantor."

With the king's "guaranty," Gracie was able to get the money she needed to repair her castle. She was thrilled with her new castle and all the toys and sweets she had obtained with the grant.

However, as the days passed, Gracie noticed that her sweets and toys were not as sweet and fun as they once were. She had heard of something called "inflation" and realized that her grant had not been adjusted for the changing prices in the kingdom. Gracie was disappointed, but she was not one to give up easily.

She went back to the library and learned about something called an "index." Gracie realized that by using an index, she could make sure that her grant would always be worth the same amount, no matter what. She went to see the king and explained her discovery.

The king was impressed with Gracie's intelligence and decided to make her the official "grantor" of all grants in the kingdom. From that day forward, all grants were adjusted for inflation, and everyone was happy and satisfied with the gifts they received.

And as for Gracie, she lived happily ever after in her castle, surrounded by her toys and sweets, and free from any "liens." The end.

Reflections

1. Who is Gracie and what does she find in the attic of her cottage?
2. What is a grant and how does Gracie use it to obtain what she wants?
3. Who does Gracie go to for help when she needs money to repair her castle?
4. What is inflation and how does Gracie adjust for it in her grant?
5. Who becomes the official grantor in the kingdom and why?
6. What is the significance of the king becoming Gracie's guarantor?
7. What is leverage and how does Gracie use it in the story?
8. What is an index and why is it important in the story?