The Clever Stick

Once upon a time, there was a clever stick. Ever since he had fallen off the tree, he had been smart. He would sit in the sand and think up all kinds of clever things. He would float down the stream, making up poetry. He would listen to the singing of the birds, and wonder what made it so beautifiul. But the poor stick had one problem…he couldn’t speak. So he couldn’t share his thoughts with any other creatures.

When he saw chipmunks gathering food, he wanted to say,” I know a better way for you to gather nuts…”
But he remained silent. Who would believe a stick anyway?
When he came across a frog writing a poem , he wanted to offer a simile or two…but he couldn’t .
And when he came across a wild rose growing in the field, he longed to exclaim how beautiful she was…
But alas, he could not.
One bright day, as the stick approached the meadow, he tried to say hello by bowing deeply…
But he tripped on a pebble, and fell flat on his face.
The field erupted with laughter. “What a clumsy stick!” buzzed the insects.

The clever stick did not feel so clever anymore. He dragged himself all the way home.
When he got home, he turned around and noticed the line he had dug in the sand.
It looked very interesting. So he made some more lines.
To his amazement, he discovered he could draw lines to look like things.
The stick began to draw furiously in the dirt, venting all of his frustration.
A giant tapestry began to emerge across the forest floor.

As he scribbled, all the plants and animals who had never noticed him before now watched in rapt attention.
But the stick didn’t even notice. He drew faster and faster.
Then he stopped, the dust cleared.
And there was the most magnificent sight the forest had ever seen.