Once upon a time, in a wide and whispering forest, there lived a curious girl named Lily. Lily loved to explore, but she always tried to be careful and kind.
One sunny afternoon, as Lily followed a path of crunchy leaves, she heard a soft crying sound. She stopped and listened.
“Someone sounds sad,” Lily said to herself.
Near a small, muddy pond, she found a baby squirrel trembling beside a fallen log.
“I can’t find my way home,” the squirrel sniffed.
Lily knelt down and thought for a moment. If I were lost, I would feel scared too, she thought.
“It’s okay,” Lily said gently. “Let’s figure this out together.”
Just then, a deer with gentle eyes stepped out from behind the trees.
“My name is Dottie,” the deer said. “I know this forest very well. How can I help?”
Lily explained the problem. Dottie suggested following the tall oak trees, because squirrel families often lived nearby. Lily liked the idea, but she noticed something else.
“Wait,” Lily said. “The squirrel’s paws are muddy. Maybe he crossed the pond recently.”
They followed Lily’s clue and soon heard happy chatter from above. A family of squirrels peeked down from a leafy nest.
“There you are!” they cried.
The baby squirrel bounced with joy and scampered back home.
As Lily waved goodbye, she felt warm inside. She had listened, thought carefully, and helped someone in need.
On her walk back, Lily smiled to herself.
Being kind means paying attention and thinking things through, she realized.