Once upon a time, in a far-off land, there lived a little squirrel named Sammy. Sammy loved to play in the trees, chasing after butterflies and collecting nuts for the winter. But one day, as Sammy was scampering through the branches, he spotted something strange.
It was a net, hanging from a tree branch. Sammy had never seen anything like it before and he was curious. He climbed closer to investigate and soon realized that the net was trapping a beautiful bird in its tangled threads.
The bird was crying out for help and Sammy knew he had to do something. He ran to the nearest tree and climbed to the top, where he found a nest. Inside the nest, there were three little eggs. Sammy knew that the mother bird must have gone to find food and gotten caught in the net.
He quickly grabbed a nut from his pocket and began to use it to poke and prod at the net, trying to loosen it. As he worked, he could see that the bird was getting weaker and weaker. Sammy knew he had to hurry.
Finally, after what seemed like hours, the net began to give way. The bird was freed, and with a joyful cry, she flew to her nest. Sammy followed her and watched as she carefully tended to her eggs, using her beak to turn them gently.
Sammy felt a warmth in his chest, knowing he had helped the mother bird and her babies. He climbed down the tree and scampered off, feeling proud of what he had accomplished. From then on, Sammy made sure to keep a lookout for nets and other dangers, and to always use his nose to sniff out trouble.
He learned that having a sharp nose was important to keep the neck safe and it was important to help those in need.
The end.

Reflections

1. Why do you think Sammy was curious about the net?
2. What do you think Sammy felt when he helped the mother bird and her babies?
3. What did Sammy learn from this experience?
4. How might you use what Sammy learned in your own life?