The Story
One quiet night, the pond was wrapped in silver moonlight. The reeds whispered softly, and the water lay dark and still.
Blue Toby sat on a lily pad, gazing at the shadows. He felt a little uneasy — the night seemed so wide, and he was very small.
Just then, a faint glow appeared in the distance. It shimmered gently, floating closer and closer across the pond. As Toby leaned forward, he realized it was a lily — a Lantern Lily, glowing like a star.
Its petals shone golden white, casting circles of light on the water. The dark pond was no longer frightening. It was beautiful.
Toby’s heart trembled. He wanted to leap onto the glowing lily, but his legs shook. “What if I miss? What if I fall into the dark water?”
Then the Lantern Lily seemed to whisper, “Courage isn’t the absence of fear — it’s moving forward even when you are afraid.”
Toby took a deep breath. He bent his legs, pushed off, and leapt! Plop!
He landed right on the glowing lily. The light surrounded him, and the whole pond sparkled. The shadows didn’t vanish — but they no longer mattered.
From that night on, Toby understood: sometimes, courage blooms brightest in the dark.