Once upon a time, in a far-off swamp land, there lived a sullen alligator named Gus. Gus was always grumpy and never smiled. He lived alone in a slough, which was a slow-moving creek in the swamp.

One day, while floating on his back and feeling particularly sullen, Gus saw something strange. A plume of smoke was rising from the center of the swamp. He swam over to see what was going on and found that the swamp was on fire!

Gus was scared and didn't know what to do. But then he remembered that alligators are great swimmers and can stay underwater for a long time. So, he submerged himself into the water to escape the heat and smoke.

As he was swimming, Gus suddenly heard a cry for help. It was coming from the center of the swamp, where the fire was burning the brightest. Gus bravely swam towards the voice and found a baby otter trapped in the burning swamp.

Without a second thought, Gus lifted the baby otter and swam as fast as he could to safety. When they reached the slough, Gus set the baby otter down and watched as it scampered off to find its mother.

Gus felt a warm feeling in his heart. He had never felt so good before. He realized that helping others can make you feel happy and bring a smile to your face. From that day on, Gus was no longer a sullen alligator. He was a happy alligator, always willing to help those in need.

The end.

Reflections

1. Why was Gus always grumpy?
2. How did Gus save the baby otter from the fire in the swamp?
3. How did Gus feel after he saved the baby otter?
4. What did Gus learn from his experience in the swamp?
5. How do you think you would feel if you were in Gus's place?