Sammy the squirrel was a very busy squirrel. All day long, he scurried and scampered, collecting acorns, walnuts, and hazelnuts. He loved nuts! He gathered them in a big pile near the oak tree, and he guarded them very carefully. “These are *my* nuts,” he’d chirp to anyone who came near.
One sunny afternoon, Rosie Rabbit and Barnaby Bear came to play. “Sammy, can we play hide-and-seek?” asked Rosie. Sammy peeked at his nut pile. “Not right now,” he said. “I’m too busy making sure no one takes my nuts!” Barnaby Bear looked sad. “But playing is fun,” he mumbled.
Rosie and Barnaby tried to play without Sammy, but it wasn’t the same. They missed his quick dashes and silly chatter. Sammy watched them from near his nut pile. He noticed they weren’t laughing as much. He felt a little pang in his heart.
Old Man Turtle, who was very wise, slowly walked by. He saw Sammy looking sad. “What’s troubling you, little squirrel?” he asked kindly. Sammy explained about his nuts and how he didn’t want to share. Old Man Turtle smiled. “Sometimes,” he said, “the joy of having something is even greater when you share it with friends.”
Sammy thought about what Old Man Turtle said. He looked at his huge pile of nuts, then at Rosie and Barnaby, who were trying to build a small fort. He took a deep breath and scurried over to them. “Wait!” he called. “I… I want to play too! And… and I’ll share my nuts!”
Rosie and Barnaby’s faces lit up. Sammy brought over a handful of nuts, and they used them to decorate their fort. They played hide-and-seek, and Sammy laughed louder than he ever had before. Sharing his nuts didn’t make him have less fun; it made it *more* fun!
As the sun began to set, Sammy, Rosie, and Barnaby sat together, munching on nuts and talking about their favorite parts of the day. Sammy realized that Old Man Turtle was right. Sharing with friends was the best feeling of all. From that day on, Sammy always remembered that a little kindness and generosity can make everyone’s day brighter.
Now close your eyes, little one, and dream sweet dreams of playing with friends and sharing all the good things in your life. Just like Sammy the Squirrel.