Jasper Lynn joins in the A to Z fun during April. Today our post celebrates the letter L.
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Lily’s Proud Roar
“Grrrr,” Lily the Lion roared.
She stared at her reflection in the pond.
“Grrrr,” she roared again, even louder.
“Why are you growling at yourself?” Mama Lion asked.
“I’m being brave,” Lily answered. “I’m practicing. I want to be a courageous lion when I grow up.”
“Why, Lily,” Mama Lion said, “Courage doesn’t have to do with how loud you roar.”
“It doesn’t?” Lily asked. “Uncle Herman is the bravest lion I know. He roars so loud the forest rumbles. The birds fly away. The squirrels go running.”
“Uncle Herman is a very brave lion. He is a very loud lion. But his roar isn’t what makes him courageous,” Mama Lion said. “Courage comes from the heart. Courage is the little things.”
“What little things, Mama?” Lily asked.
“Little things are telling the truth, doing the right thing, and being you no matter what,” Mama Lion said.
“Is a little thing telling the truth about breaking your favorite bowl last week?” Lily asked.
“Yes, a little thing is telling the truth about who broke my bowl.”
“I broke your bowl,” Lily admitted. “I said it was Gina Giraffe. It wasn’t her. I broke your bowl.”
Mama Lion said, “Now, don’t you feel better about telling the truth?”
“Yes, I do,” Lily said. “It wasn’t easy. I didn’t want to get in trouble.”
“No, sometimes being honest and true isn’t easy. To be a brave, courageous lion, you must be an honest lion.”
“How else can I be a courageous lion like Uncle Herman?” asked Lily.
“A courageous lion does what is right. Even if your friends try to get you to do something wrong,” said Mama Lion.
“Like when Harry Hippo wanted me to steal a candy bar at the store?
“Exactly like that!” Mama Lion said.
“But Mama, Harry Hippo said that Mr. Perkins, the store owner wouldn’t miss it.”
“It doesn’t matter. Stealing is wrong, even if it’s just a candy bar or a piece of gum. If it doesn’t belong to you, you don’t take it. That’s why Papa and I made you return the candy bar to Mr. Perkins.”
“At first I said I wasn’t going to take it. Harry Hippo laughed at me. He called me a chicken. He said I wasn’t brave,” Lily said.
“Your friend was wrong. Doing what he wanted you to do; doing the wrong thing was being chicken. It takes bravery to stand up and do the right thing. Courage is doing the right thing, even when it’s not easy.”
Lily threw her arms around Mama Lion’s neck and hugged her. “Thank you, Mama. Next time I’ll be brave and honest. I’ll have courage. I want you to be proud of me.”
“I am proud of you Lily. You’re a little lion full of strength and courage.” Mama Lion laughed and hugged Lily back, “Even if you don’t roar as loud as Uncle Herman.”
Lily’s Proud Roar is a story from This and That Too, scheduled for release May 2020
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