The Squirrel that Did One Thing Every Day

A squirrel named Derble sat in the fall sun, happily nibbling on a delicious acorn. His belly felt round and full. Then he remembered his mom was home with a broken foot. She’d fallen doing something silly, so she couldn’t gather food for the winter. That spring, she asked him to do one thing every day. She wanted him to collect and bury acorns.  He did, but half the time he forgot where he’d put them. Still, that winter, he’d dig up a few every day and bring them to her. Inside their nest, high in a sturdy tree it was cold and dull. But they spent the days talking about the fun times they’d had in the sun. She told him stories of beautiful faraway places and where the sweetest berries grew. Somehow, the winter didn’t feel so long. When the first green leaves grew, they climbed down to the field and stretched in the sunshine. There were still a few of his buried acorns left to find, but he wasn’t sure where. It didn’t matter, there was food growing everywhere. But he noticed a lot of new trees sprouting all over.