Once upon a time, there was a forest. Its trees were yellow and red, and the leaves fluttered down. Rustle, rustle, rustle.
A cold wind blew. Whooo! The animals knew that winter would soon arrive.
Little Fawn stood in the meadow and looked all around.
“What will I do?” she wondered. “I don’t know.”
She spotted Squirrel. Hop this way, hop that way.
“What are you doing, Squirrel?”
“I’m gathering acorns for my tree hollow,” said Squirrel. “Click, clack, click. I need something tasty to eat in winter.”
Little Fawn tried to pick up an acorn. But the acorn rolled right out of her mouth. Roll, roll.
“Hmm,” said Little Fawn. “Acorns are not for me.”
Then she met Hedgehog. Stomp, stomp, stomp.
“What are you doing, Hedgehog?”
“I’m carrying leaves for a soft bed,” said Hedgehog. “I will sleep through the winter.”
Little Fawn lay down in the leaves. She closed her eyes… and opened them again right away.
“I’m not sleepy yet,” she said.
Beside the stream, she met Bear. Thump, thump, thump.
“Yaaawn,” Bear yawned. “I’m going into my cave. I will sleep all winter long.”
“All winter?” Little Fawn asked in surprise. “I don’t want to sleep all winter. And I don’t want to gather food. What will I do?”
Just then, Mama Deer came to her. She gently snuggled close to Little Fawn.
“You don’t have to sleep all winter,” said Mama Deer. “And you don’t have to gather acorns. We deer stay awake.”
“Awake?” Little Fawn blinked.
“Yes. We will walk through the forest together. We will nibble twigs and eat the sweet hay the forest ranger leaves in the feeder. And we will see the snow.”
“Snow!” cried Little Fawn happily. “Will I have a warm coat?”
“You will,” Mama Deer smiled. “It is already growing. Thick and soft.”
Little Fawn was so happy. Hop, hop, hop!
By evening, everything was ready.
Squirrel had acorns.
Hedgehog had a soft bed.
Bear had a warm cave.
And Little Fawn had a warm coat and Mama Deer beside her.
The first snowflakes began to fall from the sky. Softly, softly.
One snowflake landed on Little Fawn’s nose. Tickle!
Little Fawn laughed.
“Goodnight, Squirrel. Goodnight, Hedgehog. Goodnight, Bear,” Little Fawn whispered.
Then she cuddled close to Mama Deer… and fell asleep after all. Only until morning.
And you, little sweetheart, close your eyes too.
Goodnight.
The End.
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