Barnaby the Generous and the Reward of Kindness
The Story
On a cold, rainy day, the little rabbit, Barnaby, sat in his cozy home with his mother. Their tummies rumbled with hunger, but the food pantry was empty. Barnaby said bravely, "Don't worry, Mom, I'll go out and find some food for us."
Barnaby put on his coat and set off into the rain. He searched under rocks and between wet grasses until he spotted a small green leaf. When he pulled it, he discovered it was part of a carrot! He kept digging and found four large, orange carrots.
On his way back, he heard a faint cry. It was his friend Spike the hedgehog, shivering from cold and hunger. Barnaby didn't think twice; he gave him two carrots and said, "Here you go, my friend." After that, he met his friend Pip the duck, who was in pain from hunger because he hadn't eaten in three days. He gave him the third carrot.
Just before he reached his home, he found his friend Rocky the raccoon lying on the ground, weak from hunger. Barnaby looked at the last carrot in his hand, then thought of his hungry mother waiting for him, and of his friend in need. He took a deep breath and offered the last carrot to the raccoon.
Barnaby returned home empty-handed. He felt ashamed and told his mother, "I'm sorry, Mom, I didn't bring you any food." He told her what had happened. His mother hugged him tightly and said, her voice full of pride, "You did not do wrong; you did the right thing. I am so proud of you, my generous son."
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. It was Spike's mother, holding a large bag of carrots. She said, "Thank you, Barnaby, for helping my son. I found these carrots under a big rock and I wanted to reward you for your kindness."
That evening, Barnaby and his mother had a delicious dinner of carrots. Barnaby learned that the reward for kindness is kindness, and that the good we do always comes back to us in even more beautiful ways.
Moral Values & Lessons
- Generosity and Selflessness: Barnaby gave all he had to help his friends, putting their needs before his own.
- Good Deeds are Rewarded: Kind actions are never wasted and are often rewarded with more than we gave.
- Raising Children on Values: The mother showed that true pride comes from good morals, not from having material things.
- A Friend in Need is a Friend Indeed: Barnaby didn't hesitate to help every friend in need he found on his way.
Story Comprehension Questions
Simple Questions
- What did Barnaby decide to do when he felt hungry?
- How many carrots did Barnaby find?
- Who were the three friends he helped?
- How did Barnaby feel when he returned to his mother empty-handed?
- Who brought food to Barnaby and his mother in the end?
Critical Thinking Questions
- Why did Barnaby give the last carrot to the raccoon instead of taking it to his mother?
- Would Barnaby's mother have been happier if he had brought her one carrot and left his friends hungry? Why?
- How does this story show that giving can be contagious (i.e., doing good encourages others to do good)?
Connecting to Your Life
- Tell about a time you shared something you love with someone else. How did you feel?
- What do you do if you have only a little of something and you see a friend who needs it?
- Has it ever happened that you did a good deed and then received an unexpected reward?
Fun Interactive Activities
- Draw the "Chain of Giving": Draw Barnaby giving carrots to the hedgehog, then to the duck, then to the raccoon. Finally, draw the hedgehog's mother giving carrots back to Barnaby.
- The Sharing Box: Designate a box at home. Each family member can put something they want to share in it (a toy, a book) for others to use.
- Role-Play the Hard Decision: Act out the scene where Barnaby finds the hungry raccoon while holding his last carrot. Show his hesitation and then his generous decision.