The Shy Little Turtle

Pim was a little turtle who lived in a pond beneath a big lotus leaf. She was very shy. Whenever anyone said hello, Pim would pull her head and legs into her shell right away and stay hidden until she felt safe again.

Every afternoon, the pond friends gathered to play a leaf-hopping game, splashing and laughing together. Pim longed to join them, but her heart pounded so hard she couldn't move. All she could do was peek out from under the biggest lotus leaf and watch from far away.

Kiaw the frog was a kind friend who noticed Pim watching from far away every day. One day, he swam over and gently sat down beside her. He didn't ask her to play right away — he just chatted about the little fish in the pond and let her feel comfortable in her own time.

The next day, Leuang the little duck invited Pim to try just dipping her toes into the water — no need to jump into the game all at once. Slowly, Pim poked her head out of her shell and tried it, one tiny step at a time. To her surprise, it wasn't nearly as scary as she had imagined.

At last, Pim stepped out from under the lotus leaf and joined the whole group, hopping across lily pads with Kiaw, Leuang, and all her friends. Everyone welcomed her with big smiles. Pim laughed happily along with them, feeling so proud of herself for being brave enough to try.

Being brave doesn't mean never feeling scared — it means taking one small step forward anyway.