A Snowy Little Owl
Arsi was a little owl. He was covered in white feathers. His eyes were bright blue like the summer sky. He had a small, dark beak. Arsi lived in a big, green tree. He lived with his mama owl. Arsi loved his mama very much. But Arsi was never happy. He mumbled all the time. "I want colors!" he would say to himself. "My feathers are too white! I want rainbow feathers!" He watched the colorful birds fly by. He dreamed of being just like them. He wanted to stand out like a bright flower, but his feathers are as white as snow. He sat alone in the tree and sighed, he never felt like he belonged.
Summer Holiday Plans
One sunny morning Arsi's mama said, "Arsi, my sweet owl, summer holidays are here!" Arsi looked at her with sad eyes. "But Mama, I still have white feathers." His mama smiled. "We will visit Lila and Benny!" Lila was a happy bunny. Benny was a clever bear. They lived by a big pond. Arsi liked Lila and Benny. He remembered fun times they had together. "Maybe they can help?" Arsi hoped. Arsi's mama packed some berries. They flew to the pond. It was a long trip for the little owl. He kept looking down at his white feathers during the whole journey. He wanted to feel different, but his heart was heavy.
The Murky Pond
When Arsi and his mama got to the pond, it looked messy. The water was brown and yucky. There were leaves and sticks everywhere. Lila the bunny hopped sadly. Benny the bear sat with his head down. "Oh no! What happened?" Arsi's mama asked. Lila cried, "The pond is dirty! The frogs have no home!" Benny added, "We tried to clean it, but it's too big for us." Arsi looked at the pond. He saw no colorful flowers or happy frogs. He only saw mud and gloom. The pond's sad state reflected how he felt inside. Despite being albino, he really really wanted to make a difference in this world.
Arsi's Big Idea
Arsi thought hard. He was small, but he was also stubborn. He wanted to help. "I have an idea!" Arsi said. "We can all clean together!" Benny looked doubtful. "But it's so much work!" Arsi's mama smiled. "We can start small," she chirped. Lila hopped with joy. "Yes! We can do it!" Arsi flew to a tall tree. He found a big leaf. He used it to scoop out the leaves from the pond. Lila and Benny started digging. Benny used his big paws to pull out sticks. Lila carried small rocks away in her paws. Arsi and his friends worked together. They cleaned one little part of the pond. The water there looked clearer already. Arsi felt pride swell within him: even though he can't change his feathers, that doesn't mean he is unable to change the world.
