Once upon a time, in a magical land far far away, there was a grey squirrel named Skip. Skip lived in a big green forest and spent most of his days playing and running on the ground. One day, he stumbled upon a great secret. The secret was that if you stood on one leg, closed your eyes and said "Grow" three times, you could grow anything you wanted!

Skip was so excited about this new discovery that he immediately ran to tell all his friends in the group of animals in the forest. They were all skeptical, but Skip was determined to show them that it really worked. So, he stood on one leg, closed his eyes, and said "Grow" three times. Suddenly, a huge gun appeared in his hand!

All the other animals were shocked and frightened by the sight of the gun, but Skip was still convinced that everything was fine. He thought that he could use the gun to protect the forest and make sure everyone was safe. So, he started running around the forest, waving the gun and shouting, "I'm the great protector of the forest!"

However, things started to get a little out of control. Skip started to grow bigger and bigger every time he said "Grow", and the gun grew with him. Soon, he was so big that he couldn't move around the forest anymore, and the gun was so heavy that he could barely hold it up.

The other animals in the group realized that they needed to do something to help their friend. They all got together and told Skip that he needed to say "Shrink" three times instead of "Grow." Skip was hesitant at first, but eventually, he did as they told him. To everyone's relief, he shrank back to his normal size and the gun disappeared.

From that day on, Skip learned that it was great to have friends who looked out for him and helped him when he needed it. He also learned that it was important to be careful with the things you wished for, because they might not always turn out the way you expected.

And that is the story of how a grey squirrel, a green forest, and a group of friends all came together to teach us an important lesson. The end.

Reflections

1. What was the secret that Skip found in the forest?
2. What happened when Skip said "Grow" three times?
3. How did the other animals help Skip when he got into trouble?
4. What did Skip learn from this adventure?
5. Can you think of another magic phrase that would have a different outcome?
6. How do you think the story would be different if Skip was a different color?
7. Do you think it's a good idea to play with guns, even if they're not real?
8. What can you do when you have a problem that's too big for you to handle?
9. How do you think Skip's friends felt when they saw the big gun?
10. Can you think of a different way the story could have ended?