The Little Frog and the Lake of Courage

In a land of soft grass and tall reeds, lived a little frog named Pip. Pip loved the warm sun and his cozy mossy rock. But the big blue lake next to him seemed very, very large. The water sparkled like diamonds, but Pip stayed on his leaf. "It is too big for a small frog like me," Pip whispered.

Suddenly, a flash of blue zipped through the air. It was Glint the Dragonfly. Glint had wings that shimmered like rainbows. She landed on a reed right next to Pip. "Hello, Pip!" Glint chirped. "The water is lovely today. Do you want to come and play in the ripples?"

Pip shook his head and tucked his toes under his tummy. "I am not ready yet," he said softly. Glint didn’t mind at all. She did a happy loop-de-loop in the air. "That is okay!" Glint said. "You can watch from your leaf. Watching is a very good way to start."

Just then, a friendly face popped out of the water. It was Nori the Turtle. Nori moved very slowly and had a very kind smile. He swam over to Pip’s mossy rock. "Good morning, little Pip," Nori said with a deep, calm voice. "The lake is very gentle this morning."

Pip looked at the water. It didn't look scary, but it still looked very wet. Nori pointed toward a tiny, sunny pool right by the shore. "Look there," Nori said. "The water is very shallow. It only reaches your toes. Would you like to try a tiny splash?"

Pip took a very deep breath. He crawled to the very edge of his green leaf. He reached out one foot and "Tap!" His little toe touched the water. It felt cool and tickly. Pip didn't move. He just felt the water on his skin. "I did it," Pip whispered. "I touched the lake!"

Glint landed on a yellow flower nearby and clapped her wings. "Hooray for Pip!" she cheered. "One toe is a wonderful start. You are a very brave frog." Pip felt a little glow of happiness in his chest. The water didn't feel so big anymore. It felt like a friend.

Nori swam a little closer to the shore. "Would you like a boat ride, Pip?" Nori asked. "You can sit on my shell where it is dry. We can go just a little way out." Pip looked at Nori’s strong, steady back. He felt safe with Nori. "Okay," Pip said. "I will try."

Nori swam slowly and smoothly. Pip sat tall on the shell. He watched the water slide past. He saw tiny silver fish swimming below. He saw the reflection of the clouds. It was beautiful. Pip realized that being on the water was like being on a magic mirror.

Near a cluster of lily pads, Pip saw a beautiful pink flower. He wanted to see it closer. "Can I hop there?" Pip asked. Nori nodded. Pip took a small hop. "Boing!" He landed right on a flat, round lily pad. It wobbled a little, but Pip balanced perfectly.

Pip looked down at the water around his lily pad. He felt bold. He let his back legs slide into the lake. He started to kick. Kick, kick, splash! Pip was swimming! He wasn't sitting on a leaf or a shell. He was moving through the blue water all by himself.

Pip, Glint, and Nori played in the lake until the sun began to set. Pip wasn't a shy little frog anymore. He was a brave explorer. He knew that even the biggest lake starts with just one tiny toe. "Small steps lead to great courage," Pip sang, and he gave a very big, happy splash.