Zola the zebra lived on a sunny savanna. She loved playing with her friends, Leo the lion cub and Penny the penguin (who was visiting!). But when it was almost bedtime, Zola would hide. You see, Zola was a little bit shy about her stripes. She thought they were too bold and bright.
“Oh dear,” she’d whisper, covering herself with a big leaf. “What if the other animals think my stripes are silly?” Leo and Penny tried to cheer her up. “Silly? Your stripes are *amazing*!” roared Leo playfully. Penny waddled closer. “They’re what make you, *you*! They’re beautiful!”
But Zola still felt wobbly inside. One evening, Old Man Tortoise, the wisest animal on the savanna, noticed Zola hiding. He slowly ambled over. “What troubles you, little one?” he asked kindly. Zola explained about her stripes and how she wished she could blend in.
Old Man Tortoise smiled. “Zola,” he said, “the savanna wouldn’t be nearly as wonderful if everyone looked the same. Your stripes help you stand out, and they help you be *you*. They are special, just like you are.” He told her a story about a time he felt different, and how learning to love his shell helped him feel strong.
That night, as the stars began to twinkle, Leo and Penny had an idea. They gathered glow-worms and carefully placed them along Zola’s stripes. The glow-worms made her stripes shimmer and shine! Zola giggled. She had never felt so beautiful.
“Wow!” exclaimed Leo. “You look like a walking constellation!” Penny flapped her wings with delight. “The prettiest zebra in the whole wide world!” Zola realized her friends were right. Her stripes weren’t silly; they were spectacular. And even better, her friends loved her *because* of her stripes, not in spite of them.
From that night on, Zola never hid at bedtime again. She proudly showed off her stripes, knowing that being different was what made her special. She learned that true friends celebrate who you are, stripes and all. And as she drifted off to sleep, she dreamed of shimmering stripes and happy adventures with Leo and Penny.
Now close your eyes, little one, and remember Zola. Just like Zola, you are special and wonderful, exactly as you are. Sweet dreams!