Arnie the armadillo and Barnie the bear were the very best of friends. They lived in a snug little burrow under the roots of a giant oak tree. Every night, getting ready for bed was an adventure! But sometimes, it was a little tricky.
Barnie was a big bear, and he loved a *lot* of pillows. He had fluffy pillows, bumpy pillows, even a pillow shaped like a fish! Arnie, being a small armadillo, only needed one cozy leaf to rest his head on. One night, Barnie was building the biggest pillow fort EVER for bedtime. He used all his pillows!
“Barnie,” squeaked Arnie, looking worried. “There aren’t any pillows left for me to lean against while you tell me a story!” Barnie looked at his enormous pillow fort and then at his little friend. He hadn’t even thought about that.
Barnie felt a little bit sad. He loved building forts, but he loved making Arnie happy even more. “Oh dear!” he boomed. “You’re right, Arnie. I was so busy building, I forgot about you.”
Arnie smiled. “It’s okay, Barnie. We can fix it!” Together, Arnie and Barnie carefully took down some of the pillows. They made a smaller, but still very comfy, fort for Barnie. Then, they used the extra pillows to build a cozy little nest right next to Barnie’s fort, just for Arnie.
“Now we both have perfect bedtime spots!” cheered Arnie, snuggling into his pillow pile. Barnie chuckled. “And now I have a wonderful friend to share bedtime with.”
Barnie began to tell Arnie a story about a little firefly who learned to shine brightly. Arnie listened carefully, his eyes getting sleepier and sleepier. He felt warm and safe, knowing he had the best friend a little armadillo could ask for.
As Barnie’s story came to an end, both Arnie and Barnie yawned big, sleepy yawns. They snuggled close, happy to be together. Sharing and kindness had made their bedtime the best one yet. They drifted off to sleep, dreaming of more adventures to come.
Remember, little one, just like Arnie and Barnie, sharing and being kind to your friends makes everything more fun. Now close your eyes, and sweet dreams!