Stories help children grow kinder, braver, and more thoughtful. “The Brave Squirrel and the Big Tree” is a heartwarming tale about courage, friendship, and the power of helping others—even when you’re scared. Let’s jump into this inspiring forest adventure.
A Peaceful Forest Home
In a quiet forest full of tall trees, chirping birds, and warm sunshine lived a tiny squirrel named Chikki. She was small, soft, and very friendly—but she had one big problem:
Chikki was scared of heights.
Strange, isn’t it?
A squirrel scared of climbing!
While all the other squirrels jumped from branch to branch, Chikki preferred gathering nuts from the ground. She loved her little world under the trees.
But deep inside, she wished she could climb like the others.
The Tallest Tree in the Forest
At the center of the forest stood a huge, ancient tree—the oldest and tallest of them all.
Everyone called it The Big Tree.
Its branches touched the sky, and its roots spread far into the earth like giant arms.
All animals came to the Big Tree for food, shade, and comfort. Birds built nests on its branches, rabbits played under its roots, and deer rested in its shade.
The Big Tree was like a wise guardian of the forest.
And Chikki loved sitting near it… just not climbing it!
The Storm That Changed Everything
One evening, dark clouds filled the sky. The wind howled loudly, and the animals knew a big storm was coming.
As the storm arrived, lightning flashed and heavy rain poured down. The forest trembled under the powerful winds.
Suddenly—
a loud cracking sound echoed:
CRAAAAACK!
A large branch of the Big Tree had broken!
And on that branch, trapped inside a nest, was a tiny baby bird crying for help.
The mother bird circled above, panicking, but couldn’t reach the nest because of the strong winds.
The animals gasped.
“Who will save the baby?”
“No one can climb in this storm!”
Everyone was scared.
Everyone… except one tiny squirrel.
The Brave Decision
Chikki looked at the crying baby bird.
Her heart thumped.
“I’m scared,” she whispered to herself.
“But the baby needs help. Someone has to do it.”
With trembling paws, she took a deep breath.
“I may be small… but I will try.”
The animals watched in shock as Chikki ran toward the Big Tree—something she had never done before.
Climbing Through Fear
Wind pushed her.
Rain soaked her fur.
The tree trunk was slippery.
But Chikki kept climbing, one tiny step at a time.
Her heart pounded.
“Don’t look down… don’t look down,” she kept repeating.
A strong gust almost pushed her off, but she held on tightly to the bark.
Finally—
finally—
she reached the broken branch.
The baby bird chirped softly, scared and cold.
“Don’t worry little one. I’m here,” Chikki said gently.
She carefully held the nest and slowly climbed down with all her courage.
Every animal held their breath.
And then…
A Hero is Born
Chikki reached the ground safely!
The mother bird swooped down, tears of relief glittering in her eyes. She nuzzled her baby lovingly.
All the animals cheered.
“You did it, Chikki!”
“You are so brave!”
“We always believed in you!”
Chikki smiled shyly.
For the first time ever, she wasn’t scared of heights anymore.
The Big Tree rustled its leaves softly as if blessing her with pride.
A New Beginning
From that day onward, Chikki climbed trees with confidence. She helped birds fix their nests, shared nuts with friends, and became known as:
“The Brave Squirrel of the Big Tree.”
She learned that bravery is not about being fearless—it’s about helping others even when you are afraid.
Moral of the Story
True courage means doing what is right, even when it’s difficult or scary.