Percy was a little penguin who lived in a very chilly place. He loved to waddle and slide on his tummy, and he especially loved collecting treasures. One sunny morning, while exploring the beach, Percy found the most beautiful shell he had ever seen! It shimmered with all the colors of the rainbow and felt smooth and cool in his flippers.
“Oh!” Percy gasped. “This is the shiniest, prettiest shell in the whole wide world! I’m going to keep it all to myself.” He hugged the shell tightly and waddled back to his friends, Penelope and Pip. Penelope and Pip were building a magnificent snow fort, carefully stacking blocks of ice.
“Look what I found!” Percy announced, holding up his shell. Penelope and Pip’s eyes widened. “Wow, Percy! It’s beautiful!” said Penelope. “Can we see it?” asked Pip. But Percy clutched the shell closer. “No,” he said. “It’s *my* shell. I found it, and I want to keep it.”
Penelope and Pip looked sad. They continued building their fort, but Percy noticed they weren’t laughing and chattering as much as before. He sat nearby, admiring his shell, but it didn’t feel quite as sparkly anymore. He realized he wasn’t having much fun either, even with such a wonderful treasure.
Suddenly, Percy had an idea. He waddled over to Penelope and Pip. “Maybe… maybe you can hold it for a little while?” he offered shyly. Penelope and Pip’s faces lit up! Penelope carefully held the shell, turning it this way and that, admiring its colors. Then, Pip took a turn, pretending it was a magical treasure from the deep sea.
Percy watched his friends play with the shell, and a warm feeling spread through his chest. It felt even better to see them happy than it did to have the shell all to himself! They all took turns decorating the snow fort with the shiny shell, making it the most magnificent fort on the whole beach.
As the sun began to set, painting the sky in shades of pink and orange, Percy, Penelope, and Pip sat inside their fort, snuggled together. Percy realized that the best treasures aren’t things you keep to yourself, but the joy you share with your friends. He learned that sharing his shiny shell made it even more special.
From that day on, Percy always remembered to share his treasures with his friends. And every time he saw a shimmering shell, he thought not just about how pretty it was, but about how much fun it would be to share it with Penelope and Pip. Now close your eyes, little one, and dream of shiny shells and wonderful friends.