Bushy – The Squirrel

Ok, so today I’m sharing a new short story for children! If you’re new to my short stories, basically I write stories for children, and I share them here on the blog. 🙂

Some of these stories are have obvious Christian elements like prayer, while others are general stories based on Biblical principles.

Today’s story is about a squirrel called Bushy, who found that sometimes appearances are deceptive and friendship and sharing is an important part of life in community. This story is aimed at children ages 5-8.

The Biblical principles in this story are the following:

– Think about others, not just your own well-being (Philippians 2:4);

– Don’t judge by appearances (John 7:24)

Ok, so let’s get into it.

Bushy the squirrel 

It was the first day of Autumn, and Bushy scampered down the tree. He loved Autumn. The leaves turning red, golden and finally brown, reminded him of the need to gather food before the months of frost. For Bushy, it felt like a race. A race to get the best nuts and seeds before the cold weather came to stay and food became scarce. 

Bushy ran across the grass, and stopped for a break. Suddenly he saw it – a fat acorn. He jumped into action, but before he could reach it, another squirrel came, picked up the acorn and ran off.

– Squeaky! – Bushy called after him, recognizing Squeaky’s patterned tail. But alas, Squeaky didn’t stop. 

– Ughh.. Squeaky’s always getting the best nuts and acorns! – said Bushy to himself. 

Just then, Bushy saw his brother Harlow coming towards him. 

– Bushy! You still haven’t found anything?

– I found an acorn. But then Squeaky came and took it.

– You need to be faster, Bushy. Our stores this year are low. We need to get as much food as possible before the frost comes in.

Bushy dutifully spent the rest of the day foraging for food. By sunset, he’d gathered three acorns, a couple of dead insects, and a few seeds, which he stored in the nest.

– Not bad – he thought to himself as he looked at the day’s gatherings. 

Just as Bushy was about to scamper back down the tree to find the last nut or acorn of the day, he saw Squeaky on the grass below. Bushy hesitated. He didn’t want to get into a competition with Squeaky. Especially since Squeaky always managed to reach the nuts before he did!

He decided to wait for Squeaky to disappear before going on his last expedition.

So, when Squeaky was finally out of sight, Bushy scampered down the tree and went looking for food. But for some reason, this time, he couldn’t see one single acorn or nut.

Just as Bushy was about to give up and go home, he saw it. This time it was a delicious-looking chestnut, nestled amongst the moss on the ground.

Then he saw him. Squeaky again. This time Bushy was cross. He was not going to let Squeaky get the chestnut he had seen first!

As fast as lightning, Bushy ran to the chestnut and picked it up quickly before Squeaky could do anything about it. 

He ran back to the tree, gleefully. Finally, he’d won! He’d beat Squeaky to the chestnut. 

And what made the victory sweeter was that he’d beaten him to a chestnut – Bushy’s favourite food. 

The next day, just as Bushy was about to leave his nest to get more food, he saw Squeaky on the grass below the tree again.

– Hey Bushy! – called up Squeaky. – How did it go yesterday?

– Well – said Bushy – I gathered three acorns and some insects and seeds. Ah, and that chestnut! – he rubbed in, smugly. 

– Ah, yes. I didn’t find much food, yesterday. Only that acorn in the morning. Our stores are really low this year. My mummy keeps telling me to try harder, but whenever I find some nut or other, another squirrel comes along and takes it before I have a chance!

– Well, you usually beat me to the nuts and acorns! – said Bushy surprised. For the first time, Squeaky no longer looked like a threat, but a normal squirrel like himself.

– Me? I think you mean the other way round. You’re always getting the nuts before I do – said Squeaky indignantly. 

– What? I thought you did. Why it happened yesterday morning, the day before, and last week two or three times.

– I didn’t notice! – said Squeaky – But I did notice when you got there first. Yesterday at sunset, the day before in the morning, and last week as well. At least three times last week. 

Suddenly, Bushy saw the funny side and started laughing.

– All this time, I thought you were beating me to nuts, and you thought I was beating you! And after all, we were getting the same amount. 

– Hey, Bushy. How about we work together? I can help you get nuts when you need them, and you can help me when I need them too – said Squeaky.

– Good idea – said Bushy – I’m sorry for being so selfish. I didn’t realize your stores were low as well.

And so from then on, Bushy and Squeaky worked together, helped each other and became good friends.