Tilly the Tiger Learns to Be Kind

Once upon a time, in a lush jungle filled with tall trees and sparkling rivers, there lived a fierce tiger named Tilly. Tilly was a majestic creature, with shining fur the color of the sun, and gleaming eyes that sparkled like diamonds. But despite her outward beauty, Tilly had a terrible habit of speaking hurtful words when she was upset. Whenever her friends, the leopard and the bear, did something that annoyed her, Tilly would lash out with harsh words that hurt their feelings. She didn't mean to be mean, but in the heat of the moment, her anger would take over and she would forget about being kind. One day, while taking a nap in the shade of an oak tree, Tilly woke up feeling very angry. She had had a terrible dream, and it made her grumpy and cross. She sauntered over to where the leopard and the bear were playing together and snarled at them. "What are you two doing?" she growled, her tail twitching in irritation. "We're just playing hopscotch," said the leopard. "Do you want to play too?" Tilly snorted. "I wouldn't want to play a silly game like that," she said meanly. "I have better things to do with my time." The leopard and the bear looked hurt, but Tilly didn't seem to care. She strutted off, her head held high, feeling powerful and in control. But as she walked through the jungle, Tilly began to feel a terrible ache in her heart. She knew she had been mean to her friends, but she didn't know how to make it right. She didn't want to say she was sorry - that would make her feel weak - but she didn't know what else to do. As she was pondering her dilemma, Tilly heard a strange rustling sound in the bushes. She crept closer, her eyes narrowed in suspicion, and peered through the leaves. To her surprise, she saw the monkey, the toucan, and the parrot, huddled together in the bushes, whispering and giggling. "What are you three up to?" Tilly demanded, her voice harsh. The animals jumped, startled by her sudden appearance. Then they looked at her, and their faces fell. "We're not up to anything," whined the monkey. "We're just playing a game." "A game?" Tilly snarled. "What kind of game?" "It's called 'Say Something Nice'," the parrot chirped. "We take turns saying nice things about each other." Tilly snorted. "That's a silly game," she said, just as she had before. The animals looked hurt, but Tilly didn't seem to care. She walked away, feeling more and more angry and alone. But as she walked, she began to hear a faint whispering sound in her ear. It was the voice of her heart, whispering words of kindness and love. Tilly stopped in her tracks, her head spinning. She had never heard such words before, and they made her feel both scared and happy. "Who are you?" she whispered, her voice shaking. "I am your true self," the voice whispered back. "The part of you that loves your friends, and wants to be kind." Tilly felt tears prick at the back of her eyes. She didn't know what to do, but she knew she wanted to be kind - just like the leopard and the bear, who had always been kind to her. She turned back to where they were playing hopscotch, and crept up behind them. They didn't notice her, but she could hear them giggling and having fun. Tilly felt a surge of love in her heart, and she took a deep breath. "Hey, guys," she said softly. The leopard and the bear turned, and their faces lit up when they saw Tilly. "Hey, Tilly!" they cried, rushing over to her. Tilly felt a wave of happiness course through her body. She felt so happy, she could barely contain it. And with that, Tilly learned a valuable lesson - the lesson of the leopard and the bear. Hurtful words hurt feelings, but being yourself is always the best way to be. She vowed to use her words more carefully, and to always be kind to her friends from that day forward. And she knew that, even though it was hard, she could always count on her true self to guide her towards the right path.