Who Did Patrick’s Homework? summary

Patrick is a young schoolboy who lives for play and avoids study. He enjoys basketball, video games, and outdoor fun, and he sees homework as punishment. Teachers regularly complain that he never completes assignments, and his parents worry that he is growing careless and irresponsible. Patrick himself feels no guilt; he believes cleverness means finding shortcuts so that he can continue playing without interruptions.

One day, while cleaning his messy room, Patrick finds a small doll lying under some clutter. Amused, he taps it against the table. To his shock, the doll comes alive and turns into a tiny elf—small as a finger, wrinkled like an old man, and clearly terrified. At that exact moment Patrick’s cat approaches, ready to pounce. The elf begs Patrick to save him, promising to grant him a wish in return.

Patrick quickly grabs the cat and rescues the elf. Instead of asking for wealth or fun, he makes a practical demand: the elf must do all his homework for the next thirty-five days. Patrick believes he has found a perfect shortcut to avoid study while continuing his games. The elf is upset because he expected an easier wish, but he has no choice and accepts the bargain.

For the first few days Patrick celebrates his “luck.” He plays all evening while the elf studies. But soon the elf begins to struggle. He cannot solve maths problems, doesn’t understand long division, and gets confused by word sums. In English, grammar rules and vocabulary feel impossible to him; he spells words wrongly and misreads questions. Whenever he gets stuck, he wakes Patrick up late at night and demands help.

Patrick feels irritated, but he still wants the elf to finish the work. So he starts opening textbooks, reading lessons, checking examples, looking for meanings in dictionaries, and explaining methods step by step. What was meant to be the elf’s job turns into Patrick’s daily study routine. Night after night this continues, and Patrick learns by teaching the elf—his fractions improve, spelling becomes stronger, and grammar starts making sense.

Gradually, homework stops feeling scary. Patrick begins to enjoy the small confidence that comes from solving problems. Without realizing it, he builds a steady habit of studying and revising. When the 35 days end, the elf happily disappears, reminding Patrick that he must now work on his own.

Back at school, Patrick’s teachers are amazed by his transformation. He answers questions correctly, completes assignments neatly, and scores high marks. His parents are proud, and Patrick himself feels surprised. He believes the elf deserves the credit, but the truth is clear: the elf could not do the homework independently, so Patrick did it.

The real magic was Patrick’s own effort and discipline. The story ends with a strong moral: there is no shortcut to learning; hard work, responsibility, and self-study are the true path to success.