The Ant and the Dove
On a bright, sunny day, a little ant named Andy was on a very important mission: to find breakfast for his family. He marched along the edge of a clear, sparkling stream, his tiny antennae twitching.
Suddenly, his foot slipped on a smooth, wet stone. SPLASH! Andy tumbled into the water!
The current was strong for someone so small. It pulled him under, tossing him around like a leaf in a storm. He fought to keep his head above the surface, sputtering and struggling. "Help! I can't swim!" he cried out, though his voice was too tiny for anyone to hear.
High up on a tree branch, a gentle dove named Daria was watching the world go by. She had kind, soft eyes that noticed everything. She saw the tiny ant fighting for his life in the stream below.
Without a second thought, Daria plucked a large, broad leaf from her tree. She flew down low over the water and dropped the leaf right in front of the struggling ant. It landed like a perfect green boat.
Gasping for air, Andy scrambled onto the leaf. It bobbed gently on the water, carrying him safely to the bank. He crawled onto dry land, shaky but safe. He looked up at the dove, who was now perched back on her branch.
"Thank you!" Andy shouted, his small voice full of big gratitude. "You saved my life!"
Daria simply cooed softly and nodded. "Be more careful, little one," she said kindly before flying away.
Andy never forgot her kindness.
Later that same afternoon, Andy was feeling much stronger. He was carrying a crumb back to his anthill when he saw something that made his heart freeze.
A tall, quiet hunter was creeping through the forest. And the hunter was looking straight up at the tree where Daria was sleeping, unaware of the danger. The hunter slowly raised his net, ready to catch the gentle dove.
Andy knew he had to act fast. He was too small to fight the hunter, but he wasn't too small to be brave.
He ran as fast as his six legs could carry him. He scurried right up the hunter’s leg and onto his bare arm. Then, with all his might, he bit the hunter as hard as he could!
"YEOWCH!" the hunter yelled, jerking his arm in surprise. The net fell from his hands with a clatter.
The loud noise woke Daria instantly. She saw the hunter and the fallen net, and in a flutter of wings, she soared high into the safety of the sky.
She looked down and saw the tiny ant on the ground, looking up at her. She understood immediately. Her small act of kindness had come back to save her.
From that day on, the dove and the ant were the best of friends, always looking out for each other in the big, wide forest.
The Moral of the Story:
No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. If you are good to others, goodness will find its way back to you.
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