Leo the lion was a very little lion. He loved playing with his mama and papa, and chasing butterflies in the tall, sunny grass. But Leo had a secret: he was a little bit shy. And when he tried to roar, only a tiny squeak came out! All the other lion cubs had big, booming roars. Leo wished he could roar like them.
One day, Mama Lion asked Leo to help her carry berries to Old Man Tortoise. Old Man Tortoise wasn’t feeling well, and Mama Lion wanted to make him a yummy berry pie. Leo was a little scared to go alone. The path to Old Man Tortoise’s house went through the Whispering Woods, and Leo thought he heard spooky sounds there sometimes.
“I… I don’t know, Mama,” Leo squeaked. “The Whispering Woods are a little scary.” Mama Lion smiled and nuzzled Leo. “It’s okay to be scared, little one. But sometimes, being brave means doing something even when you *are* scared. And Old Man Tortoise really needs those berries.”
Leo took a deep breath. He held the basket of berries very carefully and started down the path. The Whispering Woods *did* sound a little spooky! Leaves rustled, and branches creaked. Leo squeezed his eyes shut for a moment. Then, he remembered what Mama Lion said. He took another deep breath and kept walking.
Suddenly, a little bird fell out of its nest! It chirped sadly on the path. Leo forgot all about being scared. He gently scooped up the bird and carefully put it back in its nest. The mama bird chirped happily and thanked Leo.
As Leo continued, he felt a little bit stronger. He wasn’t thinking about being scared anymore; he was thinking about helping Old Man Tortoise. When he finally reached Old Man Tortoise’s house, he felt very proud of himself. He even let out a little roar – a slightly bigger roar than usual!
Old Man Tortoise was so happy to see Leo and the berries. He gave Leo a warm smile. “Thank you, Leo,” he said. “You are a very brave little lion.” Leo’s heart swelled with happiness. He realized that courage wasn’t about having a big roar; it was about being kind and helping others, even when you’re a little bit scared. And as he walked home, Leo practiced his roar. It wasn’t perfect, but it was getting louder and stronger every time. He knew, with a little practice, and a lot of courage, he would roar like the biggest lion of all!