Gerald the giraffe was very proud. He was the tallest animal in the whole wide savanna! From his great height, he could see everything – the sparkling river, the acacia trees full of yummy leaves, and all his friends playing below. Sometimes, though, Gerald didn’t share his view. He thought, 'It’s *my* tallness, and *my* view!'
One sunny afternoon, Penelope the penguin (who was visiting from a very far away, cold place!) waddled up to Gerald. “Oh, Gerald,” she said, tilting her head back, back, back. “I can barely see over the tall grass! I want to see the river, but it’s hidden.” Gerald looked down at Penelope. He could see the river perfectly, but Penelope could only see green blades.
Gerald hesitated. He *liked* having the best view all to himself. But Penelope looked so disappointed. He remembered how sad he felt when he couldn’t reach the juiciest leaves on the highest branches. A little bird, Pip, landed on Gerald’s head. Pip chirped, “Sharing is caring, Gerald! It makes everyone happy!”
Gerald took a deep breath. “Okay, Penelope,” he said. “Hop on my head! I’ll give you a ride so you can see.” Penelope waddled as best she could and carefully climbed onto Gerald’s head. Her eyes widened. “Wow!” she exclaimed. “I can see everything! The river is so blue and sparkly! Thank you, Gerald!”
Soon, other animals heard about Gerald’s generous offer. Leo the lion cub wanted to see where the zebras were grazing. Zara the zebra wanted to spot her mama. Even Horace the hippo wanted a peek at the colorful birds in the trees. Gerald happily gave everyone a ride, carefully and gently.
As Gerald shared his view, he noticed something amazing. Seeing the savanna through his friends’ eyes made it even more beautiful! Leo pointed out a family of meerkats, Zara giggled at a silly monkey, and Horace waved to a flock of pink flamingos. Gerald realized that sharing wasn’t about giving something *away*; it was about adding to the joy.
By the time the sun began to set, Gerald was tired but happy. He had shared his tallness with all his friends, and the savanna felt warmer and brighter than ever before. Pip the bird chirped a goodnight song from Gerald’s ear. Gerald smiled. He knew that being the tallest giraffe wasn’t just about having the best view, it was about using his height to make others happy.
From that day on, Gerald always shared his view. He learned that kindness and friendship were even more wonderful than being the tallest animal in the savanna. And as he drifted off to sleep, he dreamed of all the adventures he would share with his friends, high above the grassy plains.