Milo was a very small mouse with very big ears. He lived under the roots of a giant oak tree in Farmer Giles’ field. Milo loved his cozy home, but he was a little bit afraid of the dark. Every night, when the sun went down, Milo would snuggle deep into his mossy bed.
One evening, Milo heard a tiny, sad sound. *Sniffle… sniffle…* He peeked out from under the oak tree and saw Flicker, a little firefly, blinking very dimly. “What’s wrong, Flicker?” asked Milo, his voice a little shaky.
Flicker explained, “I… I lost my sparkle! I was playing hide-and-seek with my friends, and I bumped into a big leaf. Now my light won’t shine bright anymore!” Flicker’s light flickered even weaker. Milo knew how scary the dark could be without a light.
Milo wanted to help, but he was scared to go far from his oak tree. He took a deep breath. “Don’t worry, Flicker,” he squeaked. “I’ll help you find your sparkle!” He remembered his mama mouse always said, “Even the smallest mouse can do big things with a kind heart.”
Together, Milo and Flicker searched. They looked behind daisies and under mushrooms. Milo used his big ears to listen for any clues. Finally, Milo spotted something shiny stuck on a prickly thistle! It was a tiny drop of morning dew, reflecting the last bit of sunlight.
“Flicker, look!” Milo pointed with his tiny paw. Flicker flew closer and gently touched the dewdrop. *Poof!* His light burst back to life, shining brighter than ever before.
Flicker zoomed around Milo, blinking happily. “You did it, Milo! You helped me find my sparkle! Thank you!” Milo felt a warm glow inside, even brighter than Flicker’s light. He wasn’t so afraid of the dark anymore. He learned that helping others could make even a small mouse feel very brave.
Flicker and Milo flew back to the field, Flicker lighting the way. Milo waved goodnight to Flicker and snuggled into his mossy bed. He closed his eyes, feeling happy and proud. Even though he was a small mouse, he had a big, kind heart, and that was the brightest light of all. Now close *your* eyes, little one, and dream sweet dreams.