"The Little Squirrel and the Magic Acorn"

The Little Squirrel and the Magic Acorn

In a faraway forest, where the trees nearly touched the sky and the flowers whispered to the wind, lived a little squirrel named Nino.

Nino was more curious than all the other squirrels. He loved to explore, climb the tallest trees, and watch the world from above. He had a tail as soft as cotton and big eyes that sparkled like hazelnuts in the sun.

But Nino had one special passion: acorns. He collected them, studied them, and sorted them by shape, color, and shine. Every day, he searched for new ones. He dreamed of finding “the perfect acorn”—one so special, no one had ever seen anything like it.

One autumn morning, while hopping among golden branches, sunlight filtering through the leaves and a soft wind blowing, Nino was heading back to his tree when he noticed something shiny under a yellow leaf.

Carefully, he approached. "Hm? What’s that sparkle?" he thought. He pushed the leaf aside with his paw and… his mouth dropped open.

In front of him lay a golden acorn, shiny and engraved with tiny symbols: a sun, a moon, a heart, and a star.

As soon as he touched it, he heard a soft and gentle voice: — “Hello Nino. I’m the Magic Acorn. If you take me to the right place, you may make a wish.”

Nino jumped back in surprise. “An acorn that talks?!”

— “Don’t be afraid,” said the voice. “I appear only to those with kind hearts. You must bring me to the heart of the forest, beneath the Great Talking Tree.”

Without thinking twice, Nino placed the acorn in his little backpack and set off toward the heart of the forest. The journey was long and not without dangers. But Nino was determined. For him, helping a magic acorn was the greatest of adventures!

After a while, as he was crossing a small stream, he saw a turtle sitting on a rock, her head tucked into her shell. — “Are you okay?” asked Nino. — “I’m lost… I can’t find my way back home…”

Nino looked at the acorn in his backpack. He was in a hurry, but he couldn’t leave the turtle behind. “I’ll help you!” he said. It took him some time, but he managed to bring her safely home. The turtle gave him a hug and said: — “You’re very kind, little squirrel. Thank you.”

Back on his way, Nino crossed a meadow covered in leaves. Under an old oak tree, a hedgehog was shivering. — “Why are you all alone?” — “I can’t find enough warm leaves to build my bed… and tonight will be cold…”

Nino gathered the nicest leaves and built a cozy, fragrant den for the hedgehog. — “Now you’ll sleep like a king,” he said with a smile.

A bit further on, in some bushes, he found a little bird with a bent wing. — “Oh no!” exclaimed Nino. — “I fell from my nest,” said the bird sadly. “I can’t fly, and I’m hungry…”

Nino brought him some sweet berries and made a soft nest with moss and grass threads. — “Rest here. Once your wing heals, you’ll fly again.”

At last, after passing an old log and climbing a steep path, Nino arrived at the center of the forest. In front of him stood a massive tree, its trunk thick and covered in moss. Its branches stretched wide like open arms.

“That’s it… the Great Talking Tree,” whispered Nino.

As he placed the acorn at the foot of the tree, the ground trembled slightly, the leaves rustled, and a deep but gentle voice said: — “Welcome, Nino. You have brought the Magic Acorn here. Now you may make your wish.”

Nino closed his eyes. He thought of all the creatures he had met. He thought of the turtle, the hedgehog, the little bird. He thought of the entire forest. Then he said: — “I don’t want anything for myself. I wish for all the animals in the forest to have what they need. I wish for them to be happy, safe, and for the forest to always be full of life.”

The Great Tree was silent for a moment. Then its leaves began to glow. A warm wind spread through the forest, carrying scents of flowers and fruit. The sky became clearer, and a rainbow appeared among the branches.

— “Your heart is pure, Nino,” said the Tree. “You used your time to help others, expecting nothing in return. From today, your forest will be more alive than ever. And you shall be its guardian.”

Nino smiled, his eyes filled with joy. He had not received gold or magical powers… but he had seen the happiness of those around him. And to him, that was the greatest gift of all.

From that day on, all the animals of the forest knew Nino, the squirrel with the golden heart. The Magic Acorn was planted beneath the Great Tree and grew… becoming a new tree that glowed under the moonlight.

Every year, during the longest night of winter, the acorns of that tree would shine. And it is said that anyone who finds a glowing acorn and has a kind heart… can change the world with a wish.