The Tale of Benny the Bear and the Missing Berries

The Tale of Benny the Bear and the Missing Berries

In a lush forest, where the trees stood tall and the rivers sparkled, lived Benny the Bear. Benny loved berries. Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries – you name it, and Benny would gobble them up.

One sunny day, Benny found a huge berry bush, laden with the juiciest berries he had ever seen. His eyes widened with delight. “I’ll pick these and share them with my friends at the evening gathering!” he thought.

But as he began to pick, a thought crossed his mind. “What if I kept just a few more for myself? After all, I found them.” So, Benny filled his basket and secretly stashed a small pile for himself behind a big rock.

That evening, all the animals gathered around the campfire. Benny proudly presented his basket. “Look at the berries I found! Let’s all share them.”

Everyone cheered and clapped. “Thank you, Benny!” they exclaimed.

But as the animals began to eat, Lucy the Rabbit whispered, “These are delicious, but I thought there were more berries on that bush. I saw it this morning.”

Benny’s heart raced. “Oh, I picked all I could find,” he replied, avoiding her gaze.

Later, as the moon rose high, Benny sneaked to his secret stash. But to his surprise, the berries were gone! In their place was a note: “Found these. Thought they were for everyone. Shared them with the night animals. – Ollie the Owl.”

Benny’s heart sank. He felt a weight in his chest, heavier than the biggest berry. He realized that by not sharing all the berries, he had not only been unfair to his friends but also to himself. The joy of the evening was overshadowed by the tiny secret he had kept.

The next day, Benny approached Lucy. “Lucy,” he began, “you were right. I did keep some berries for myself. I thought I deserved more because I found them. But I was wrong.”

Lucy looked at Benny, her eyes softening. “Benny, it’s okay to make mistakes. What’s important is to recognize them and make things right.”

Benny nodded. “I want to make it up to everyone. But how?”

Lucy thought for a moment. “Why not organize a berry-picking day? We can all go together, pick berries, and share them equally.”

Benny loved the idea. The next day, the entire forest buzzed with excitement. Animals of all sizes came together, picking berries and sharing stories. At the end of the day, they had a feast, and the joy Benny felt was immeasurable.

From that day on, Benny always remembered that the joy of sharing and being true to oneself and others was the sweetest joy of all.

The End.