The Magic of Helping Animals

A lad called Lucas used to live in a big metropolis with tall buildings and congested roads.  Lucas deviated from most of the city’s children.  Lucas had a heart full of compassion whereas other youngsters were usually too busy to see the small things.  He would search daily for ways to assist those around him upon graduation from school.  He would assist a small child in picking up her books when she dropped them, carry groceries for an elderly neighbour, or hold the door open for someone rushing in.

Lucas always found one thing, though, to be confusing.  Every day when he left his apartment building, a dog sat at the street corner.  The dog had sad eyes and shaggy fur and was little and scuffed.  The dog would start barking loudly and without fail, as Lucas walked past.  Only Lucas, the dog never sought to chase him or bark at anybody else.  Day after day, it stayed in the same position and barked as though it were trying to communicate with him.

“What would this dog like from me?”  Every day Lucas wondered as he passed it.  “Why does it always bark yet never come any closer?”

 Lucas observed something unusual one chilly afternoon after assisting an elderly man in carrying his large baggage.  He noted the small creature’s eyes were worn and its fur was drab and matted as he passed the dog. 

Lucas stopped something drawing at his heart.  Today, the dog only gazed up at him with sorrowful eyes, as though it were waiting for something; it did not bark.

Lucas stooped to have a closer view.  The dog’s ribs were obvious, and she seemed too feeble to walk.  Lucas understood it was barking because it was hungry, not out of wrath or frustration. Lucas said, “You poor thing.” his heart hurt for the puppy.  You are hungry, aren’t you?

Lucas dashed back to his place without thinking, got a sandwich, and then went back to the dog.  He held out the food gently, and the dog sniffed it, its tail hardly flickering.  It nibbled slowly.

Something wonderful occurred the instant the dog completed the sandwich.  The dog was surrounded by soft, brilliant light that accentuated its fur and glistened eyes.  Uncertain of what was happening, Lucas backed off in wonder.

The dog suddenly started to speak.

“Thanks, gentle soul.”  The dog spoke in a voice as soft as a whisper, “You have shown me the greatest kindness.”  “Your goodness will allow me to bestow upon you a gift, one that will honor your compassion toward all living things.”

Lucas looked, wide-eyed, as the dog turned before him; its body shimmered with golden light.  It had a magnificent, almost otherworldly presence now, not like any other street dog.

“You are a real friend,” the dog said.  “You will get a unique gift, a wonderful reward for your compassion, every time you assist an animal in need from today forth.  Still, keep in mind that the enchantment resides in more than just gift reception.  One finds great delight in serving others.

The dog suddenly disappeared into the air in a whirl of glitter, leaving behind a tiny, golden pendant fashioned like a paw print.  Lucas took up the pendant and felt warmth in his chest.

Lucas came home the following day after assisting a stray cat in climbing out of a tree.

Something weird happened as he entered his flat.  He discovered a gift, a brilliant new skateboard, on his kitchen table.  For months, he had yearned for it, but his family couldn’t afford it.

Unbelievably, Lucas was  Glancing at the golden jewellery, he felt wonder flood his heart.  Had the dog been the magic?

Days went by while Lucas kept volunteering for animals whenever he could.  He would feed the park’s birds, assist a missing dog in returning home, and even create tiny animal houses.  He got a little magical prize every time he did.  When he helped a dog find its owner, a new backpack showed up; and following his rescue of a kitten from a tree, paint materials started to manifest.

Though Lucas soon saw the presents were not the true prize, the magic was real.  He experienced great delight and gratification each time he assisted an animal.  Far more priceless than any worldly present was the pleasure he felt in his heart.

Lucas came upon a squirrel labouring to gather nuts for the winter one day as strolling across the park.  Its small paws were insufficient to handle the weighty acorns.  Lucas hurried over and gently assisted the squirrel, putting some acorns in its paws.  He felt the recognizable warmth of the pendant around his neck as he did.

He went home that evening and discovered a lovely, hand-carved wooden box waiting for him on his front porch.  Inside was a note: “The genuine magic is in the love you share and the kindness you offer.”  May this box serve as a reminder that even simple deeds of kindness add a little more magic into the world.

Though the box was a sign of something far more valuable, Lucas had discovered that helping others wasn’t only about getting something in return, not a physical present.  It was about the delight and contentment that compassion gave his heart.

Something amazing started to happen as Lucas kept assisting animals.  Other city youngsters began to see the charm as well.  Seeing Lucas tend to the animals, they wanted to help as well.

The park soon was crowded with children tending to abandoned dogs, feeding stray cats, and making tiny homes for squirrels and birds.  The city appeared to blossom with pleasure, the more they contributed.  People felt closer to one another, and the animals were healthier.

Even the grown-ups started to adopt Lucas’s manner.  Kindness was exchanged in the city, and the air seemed to glisten with a type of charm only found in tending to the creatures around you.

Lucas never ceased tending to the animals; the magical benefits kept pouring forth.  Still, the sensation he carried in his heart every time he assisted someone, human or animal, was the best present of all.  The dog’s lesson resonated with him: the love and compassion you provide define true magic rather than what you get.

Knowing that the magic of kindness was always with him, Lucas then kept on his path of assisting animals, extending compassion wherever he travelled.  The city had changed and so had he.

What lessons could young children acquire from the narrative The Magic of Helping Animals about the value of compassion for animals?

Children discover in The Magic of Helping Animals that demonstrating compassion toward animals is just as vital as helping people.  The narrative shows that every deed of kindness, from feeding a starving bird to rescuing a lost dog, brings magic and delight to the earth.  Lucas learns from assisting animals that compassion is a reward in itself and that unexpectedly magical events might enter our lives when we help others, humans as well as animals.  The lesson of the narrative teaches youngsters to realise that loving and caring for animals is equally important as serving others.

At Storieslet, we think that narrative has great ability to impart vital life lessons.  One of our collection of fairy tales with morals stories that motivate youngsters to be kind, empathetic, and considerate in their daily activities is Lucas and the Magical Bark.