Dudley Duck was a very cheerful duckling. He lived with his mama and papa duck in a cozy nest nestled amongst the reeds by Willow Creek. Every evening, after a day of splashing and paddling, Dudley loved to watch the fireflies twinkle. They were his favorite part of bedtime. But tonight, something was wrong. One little firefly, smaller than the others, wasn’t glowing.
Dudley waddled closer. “Hello?” he quacked softly. “Are you alright?” The little firefly blinked its tiny lightless bottom. “I… I’ve lost my glow!” it whispered, its voice barely audible. “I don’t know where it went. Now I can’t join the others in their light show.” Dudley felt a pang of sympathy. He knew how much the firefly wanted to shine.
“Don’t worry!” Dudley declared, puffing out his chest. “I’ll help you find it!” He asked Mama Duck if he could go on a little adventure. Mama Duck, always supportive, reminded him to stay close to the creek and be back before the moon was high. Dudley promised he would and set off with the little firefly perched on his head.
They searched everywhere. They looked under big, floppy lily pads, behind the smooth, grey stones, and even inside a hollow log. Dudley asked Old Man Turtle if he’d seen a lost glow. Old Man Turtle, wise and slow, shook his head. “Sometimes,” he rumbled, “a glow isn’t *lost*, it’s just…dimmed. Perhaps your friend needs a little kindness to brighten it up.”
Dudley thought about what Old Man Turtle said. He realized the firefly seemed sad, not just lightless. He turned to the firefly. “You know,” he said, “you’re a very brave firefly to keep trying even without your glow. It takes a lot of courage to ask for help.” The little firefly blinked again. Dudley continued, “And even without a bright light, you’re still a special firefly.”
As Dudley spoke, something amazing began to happen. A tiny spark flickered at the firefly’s tail. Then another, and another, until a soft, warm glow began to shine! The firefly gasped. “It’s back!” it cried. “It’s really back!” Dudley beamed. He understood now what Old Man Turtle meant. The firefly hadn’t lost its glow; it had lost its *confidence*.
“It wasn’t magic,” Dudley explained, “it was your bravery and my trying to help. Sometimes, just knowing someone cares is enough to make your light shine again.” The firefly zipped around Dudley’s head in a joyful dance, its light twinkling brightly. They flew back to the meadow, where the other fireflies welcomed their friend with a chorus of sparkling lights.
Dudley waved goodbye and waddled back to his nest, feeling warm and happy. He snuggled close to his mama and papa duck. “Did you have a good adventure?” Mama Duck asked. Dudley nodded. “I learned that even the smallest act of kindness can make a big difference,” he said, yawning. He closed his eyes, imagining the fireflies twinkling, and drifted off to sleep, knowing that even a little duckling could make the world a brighter place.