Carlos the capybara was a very happy fellow. He lived by a sparkling river with lots of friends – Rosie the rabbit, Finley the frog, and Beatrice the bird. Carlos had a special collection of smooth, colorful stones. He loved to arrange them and admire their shine. He thought they were the most wonderful things in the world, and he didn’t usually let anyone touch them.
One sunny afternoon, Rosie hopped over to Carlos. “Wow, Carlos! Those stones are beautiful!” she exclaimed. “Can I maybe… look at one?” Carlos hesitated. He really didn’t want anyone to play with his stones. “Um… I’m using them right now,” he mumbled, rearranging a bright blue stone. Rosie’s ears drooped a little, and she hopped away.
Finley the frog waddled by next. “Those stones are amazing, Carlos! I’m building a little castle for my tadpoles. Could I borrow a few to decorate it?” Carlos shook his head. “No, thank you. They’re too special to move.” Finley sighed and went back to his castle building.
Carlos continued to play with his stones, but he didn’t feel as happy as he usually did. He noticed Rosie and Finley playing together, but they didn’t invite him. Beatrice the bird chirped down from a tree. “Carlos, you seem a little sad. What’s wrong?”
Carlos explained how he didn’t want to share his stones. Beatrice listened patiently. “Sometimes,” she said gently, “sharing something special can make it even *more* special. It’s nice to enjoy things with friends.” Carlos thought about this. He looked at his stones, then at Rosie and Finley, who were laughing. He realized Beatrice was right.
Carlos took a deep breath and walked over to Rosie. “Rosie,” he said, “you can look at my stones whenever you want.” Rosie’s face lit up! Then he went to Finley. “Finley, you can borrow some stones for your castle. Which ones would you like?” Finley hopped with joy. Carlos carefully chose three colorful stones for Finley’s castle.
Soon, Carlos, Rosie, and Finley were all playing together, decorating the castle with the stones. Carlos discovered that sharing his stones didn’t make them less special; it made playing with them even *more* fun! He laughed and smiled, feeling warmer and happier than ever before.
As the sun began to set, Carlos snuggled close to his friends. He learned that day that the best treasures aren’t just things you own, but the joy you share with those you love. And that, he thought, was a very special thing indeed. Now close your eyes, little one, and dream sweet dreams of sharing and friendship, just like Carlos the capybara.