One of our short tales about animals for early readers.
In a valley greener than a leprechaun’s favorite hat, there lived a herd of one hundred sheep. Shepherd Sam loved them all, caring for them as the sun cared for flowers. Little Scout was one of Sam’s fluffy and white flock, but somehow, Scout always felt a little different from the others.
Now, don’t get the wrong idea; Scout loved his pasture. He loved the feel of the soft grass tickling his hooves, the sound of the river, and the warmth of his woolly friends at night. But something in his heart always tugged him towards the hills beyond the meadow. It wasn’t just curiosity–it was a feeling like a missing puzzle piece inside of him.
One morning, with the sun barely peeking over the mountains, Scout slipped away from the flock. “I must discover what makes me different,” he thought, his heart excited and a little nervous.

At first, his journey felt terrific! The forest greeted Scout with painted patterns of light and the sound of new birdsong. It was exciting. But the farther Scout strayed, the less familiar things became. The sun began to sink, the hills loomed like giants, and every rustle of leaves made him jump like popcorn in a hot pan. He’d meant to be brave, but now he was lost and very alone.
Meanwhile, back in the valley, Sam counted his sheep โ ninety-seven, ninety-eight, ninety-nine. Where was Scout? Sam knew each sheep by name and heart. Though the others were safe, his shepherd’s soul ached for the one who wasn’t. He set out; his staff and his determination were his only companions. The path was rocky, and night fell as swift and sharp as a hawk’s talons, but Sam never gave up.

All curled up beneath a prickly bush, Scout was miserable. His journey hadn’t shown him what made him different, only how much he missed his flock, his pasture, and most of all, Sam! But something had changed now โ he knew himself better, brave parts and scared parts too.

A voice broke through the darkness. “Scout!” It was Sam! Tears stung Scout’s eyes. He’d never been so happy to see anyone! Sam wrapped Scout in a hug that smelled of wool and home.
Back in the meadow, the other sheep were overjoyed to see Scout. But now he wasn’t just one of them; he was the brave sheep with the stories, the one who had gone out and come back with a new light in his eyes.
That afternoon, Sam gathered the flock. “Scout’s journey,” he said, “reminds me of a very important lesson.”
All the sheep leaned in, their ears perked up with curiosity.

“Each one of you is a special part of a bigger picture, like a piece of a beautiful puzzle,” Sam continued. “When Scout went missing, a piece of our puzzle was lost. Even though we had almost all the pieces, it wasn’t complete without him.”
Scout felt a warmth spread through his woolly chest. He was important to Sam and to the whole flock!
“So, when I went searching for Scout,” Sam said, “it wasn’t just because I cared about him. It was also because I knew we needed him to be the best flock we could be. And it’s the same for all of you dear sheepโeach special, each important, each connected.
The sheep nodded, understanding dawning in their eyes.
“Sometimes we look for the lost part of ourselves, and sometimes we look for the lost part of the flock,” Sam added, “Does that make sense?”
Again, the sheep nodded yes.
As the sheep drifted off to sleep that night, under a sky sparkling like a million fireflies, each one felt a little more complete and a little more understood. Scout, the once-lost sheep, now felt found in more ways than one.

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