Tino Tiger puffed out his chest, closed his eyes, and got ready to let out the biggest, loudest roar in the jungle.
“ROOOAR—” he began… but instead, out came a tiny, squeaky little “Meep!”
Tino froze. His ears drooped, and his tail curled tight around his paws. The other animals turned to look, and his cheeks burned hot with embarrassment. A tiger is supposed to roar big. Not squeak like a mouse.
He stared down at his paws, feeling smaller than he’d ever felt. “I’m sorry,” he mumbled. “I know it’s silly.”
But then Bella Bunny hopped closer, her eyes soft and warm. “Silly? Tino, that was adorable!”
“We love your special sound!” cheered Sammy Squirrel, bouncing excitedly.
Tino blinked, hardly believing his ears. “You… you really do?”
“Of course!” they all agreed at once. “Nobody else in the whole jungle sounds like you!”
Slowly, warmth spread through Tino’s chest. He lifted his chin high, took a deep breath, and proudly called out, “Meep!”
His friends cheered, lining up behind him, and together they marched through the jungle in a giggly, meep-filled parade.
Tino’s heart swelled, full and bright. His roar wasn’t big… but it was wonderfully, perfectly his own.
Lesson: Your own special way is wonderful.
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