Barnaby Bear was a very sleepy bear, but his bed wasn’t very comfy. It was just a pile of leaves in the corner of his cave! Every night, he tossed and turned, trying to get comfortable. ‘Oh dear,’ he sighed one morning, ‘I need a *real* bed!’
Barnaby decided he would build the best bed ever. He started by gathering branches. They were strong, but bumpy! He tried to weave them together, but they kept falling apart. He huffed and puffed, but it was very hard work. ‘This is much harder than I thought,’ he mumbled.
Just then, Rosie Rabbit hopped by. ‘What are you building, Barnaby?’ she asked. Barnaby explained his problem. ‘It’s supposed to be a bed, but it’s all wobbly and uncomfortable!’
Rosie giggled. ‘Building takes teamwork! Let’s ask Finley Fox and Penelope Porcupine to help. Finley is good at weaving, and Penelope has the perfect prickly needles to hold things together.’
Barnaby was a little shy about asking for help, but he knew Rosie was right. Together, they found Finley and Penelope. Finley carefully wove the branches into a strong frame. Penelope used her needles (very carefully!) to secure the branches, making sure they wouldn’t wobble.
Next, they needed something soft. Barnaby remembered the fluffy cottonwood seeds that floated by in the spring. They gathered piles and piles of them, and Rosie helped stuff them into the woven frame. It was getting softer, but still not quite right.
Penelope suggested using moss! ‘Moss is super soft and springy!’ she exclaimed. They collected soft green moss and layered it on top of the cottonwood seeds. Finally, they added a blanket of smooth, cool leaves.
Barnaby bounced on his new bed. It was AMAZING! It was soft, bouncy, and perfectly comfortable. ‘Thank you, everyone!’ he cried. ‘I couldn’t have built this wonderful bed without your help!’
That night, Barnaby snuggled into his new bed. He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep almost immediately. He dreamed of fluffy clouds and happy adventures. He knew that even the sleepiest bear needs a comfy bed, and that working hard and asking for help makes everything better.
From then on, Barnaby always remembered that even big tasks are easier with friends, and a good night’s sleep is the best reward for a day of hard work. And every night, he slept soundly in the best bed ever.