Once upon a time in a forest, there lived many creatures and plants. The animals and trees all lived in harmony, and the forest was a happy place. But one day, a wildfire broke out and it spread quickly. The animals were frightened and didn't know what to do.

At that moment, a wise old owl named Holly stepped forward. Holly had been around the forest for a long time and had seen many things in her lifetime. She knew that wildfires were a natural part of the cycle of life in the forest, but that it was up to everyone to be good stewards of the land.

Holly explained to the other animals that they all had a role to play in preventing wildfires from happening. They could help by clearing fallen leaves and twigs, and by being careful with fire when they were cooking or keeping warm. The animals all agreed to do their part and work together to keep the forest safe.

Together, the animals and the trees started working to maintain the forest. They cleaned up any fallen leaves and twigs and made sure that fires were never left unattended. Holly even helped the younger animals understand the importance of their role, by showing them the scope of the damage a wildfire could do.

Over time, the forest flourished and the animals and plants all lived in peace once again. And whenever a wildfire did break out, the animals were prepared and worked together to put it out before it could do any harm.

The end.

Reflections

1. What is stewardship, and why is it important in the story?
2. Who stepped forward to help the animals when the wildfire broke out?
3. What did the animals do to help prevent wildfires from happening in the future?
4. How did the animals and plants in the forest benefit from working together?
5. Can you think of any real-life examples of how people can be good stewards of their environment?