Leaping Beauty: And Other Animal Fairy Tales Gregory Maguire

Deep in the heart of a forest where the trees whispered secrets and the flowers sang lullabies, lived a young rabbit named Lila. Lila was small, with soft brown fur and ears that twitched like leaves in the wind. She dreamed of one day leaping so high that she could touch the stars, but her legs were weak, and her heart was full of doubt.

One morning, as she nibbled on clover near the brook, a wise old owl named Orin landed beside her. 'Little one,' he hooted, 'you carry a gift inside you, but you must first believe in it.' Lila blinked. 'But I’m just a rabbit. I can’t leap far.' Orin chuckled. 'The forest is full of magic. You just need to listen to your heart.'

That night, Lila had a dream. In it, she stood on a hilltop, her paws planted on the soft earth. As she leapt, she soared higher and higher, her fur glowing like the moon. She laughed with joy as she danced among the clouds. When she awoke, her chest was warm, and her heart was light with hope.

The next day, she practiced by the brook, leaping from stone to stone. At first, she barely made it across. But with each jump, she grew bolder. She leapt over daisies, over logs, over fences. Her legs grew stronger, and her heart grew braver. The forest creatures watched in wonder, whispering among themselves. 'Look at Lila! She’s becoming the leaping beauty!' they said.

One day, a great storm rolled in, dark and heavy. The wind howled, and the rain poured down. A young fox named Felix, who had been lost in the storm, stumbled into Lila’s clearing, soaked and trembling. 'I can’t find my way back home,' he said, his voice shaking. Lila’s heart ached for him. 'Don’t worry,' she said gently, 'I’ll help you.'

She gathered her courage and leapt, not to the stars, but to the top of a tall hill. From there, she could see the path home. She led Felix back through the storm, her leaps lighting the way like lanterns in the dark. When they reached the fox’s den, he bowed his head. 'Thank you, Lila. You are the leaping beauty.'

From that day on, Lila was known throughout the forest as the leaping beauty. She helped lost creatures, brought joy to the weary, and reminded all that courage and kindness could make even the smallest heart great. And whenever the wind blew and the moon shone bright, she would leap once more, not to touch the stars, but to touch the hearts of those around her.

Moral: Kindness and courage can help you leap over even the tallest obstacles.