Ricky the Raccoon Learns About Columbus Day
By Bill Conley – America’s Favorite
Children’s Storyteller
Moral
of the Story:
True
discovery begins with curiosity, the desire to learn and understand the world
around us. Courage gives that curiosity direction, helping us move forward even
when the path is uncertain. When we dream big and believe in what we can
achieve, we find the strength we didn’t know we had. Working together with others
teaches us that every great journey takes trust and teamwork. Learning about
history helps us see both the bravery and the mistakes of those who came before
us. Real explorers not only search for new places but also seek wisdom,
understanding, and truth. Bravery without compassion can harm, but bravery with
kindness can change the world. Ricky the Raccoon learns that the greatest
discoveries happen when courage, curiosity, and love work together.
In the quiet forest of Maplewood
Grove, where golden leaves rustled in the wind and the smell of pine filled
the air, lived a curious young raccoon named Ricky. Ricky loved
exploring more than anything else in the world.
He explored old tree trunks and burrows
left behind by chipmunks, and even followed the sound of the stream to see
where it began. His mother often laughed and said, “Ricky, one day you’re going
to explore right out of this forest if you’re not careful!”
Ricky grinned. “Maybe I will, Mom!
There’s so much to see!”
One crisp October morning, as the
forest glowed with shades of orange and red, the animals gathered in the
clearing for Forest School. Mrs. Owl, the wisest teacher in the
woods, fluffed her feathers and perched on her favorite branch. “Good morning,
class,” she said. “Today’s lesson is very special. We’re going to learn about Columbus
Day!”
Ricky’s ears perked up. “Columbus
Day? What’s that? Is it a holiday for explorers?”
Mrs. Owl smiled. “Yes, in a way it
is. It’s a day to remember a man named Christopher Columbus, who lived
over five hundred years ago. He was a sailor and an explorer who dreamed
of reaching Asia by sailing across the ocean.”
Ricky tilted his head. “Across the
ocean? That’s huge! Did people think he could really do that?”
“Most people didn’t,” Mrs. Owl said.
“Back then, many believed it was impossible—that he’d fall off the edge of the
world! But Columbus had a dream, and he believed the world was round. He asked
the King and Queen of Spain to help him, and after many years, they finally
agreed. In 1492, he set sail with three ships: the Niña, the Pinta,
and the Santa María.”
The class gasped. Penny the
Porcupine raised her paw. “That must’ve been scary! What if he got lost?”
Mrs. Owl nodded. “He nearly did!
Columbus and his sailors spent weeks at sea. They saw nothing but water. The
crew grew frightened and angry, but Columbus never gave up. He encouraged them
every day, saying, ‘Hold on! Land is near!’ And one morning, they saw birds flying, and
then, they saw land.”
Ricky’s eyes lit up. “He did it! He
found Asia?”
Mrs. Owl’s feathers rustled softly.
“That’s what he thought. But he had actually reached islands in what we now
call the Caribbean Sea. The land was already home to people, kind, gentle
people who had lived there for centuries.”
Ricky frowned. “So he didn’t really
discover it, did he?”
Mrs. Owl nodded thoughtfully.
“That’s an important question, Ricky. Columbus helped connect two worlds that
didn’t know about each other before, and his courage inspired many explorers
after him. But his arrival also brought challenges and changes for the people
already living there. That’s why when we celebrate Columbus Day, we honor his
bravery but also remember the lessons of respect, understanding, and kindness.”
The forest grew quiet. Even the
breeze paused, as if listening.
After school, Ricky couldn’t stop
thinking about what he had learned. He padded along the trail, mumbling to
himself. “Columbus was brave, but he also made mistakes. Maybe being an
explorer isn’t just about finding new places; it’s about being kind and learning
new things, too.”
That afternoon, Ricky decided to go
on his own little adventure. He had always wanted to climb Blueberry Hill,
the tallest hill in the whole forest. His mom had told him to wait until he was
older, but today, inspired by Columbus, Ricky felt brave.
The hill was steeper than he
imagined. His paws slipped on fallen leaves, and halfway up, he stopped to
catch his breath. “Maybe I should turn back,” he thought. But then he
remembered what Mrs. Owl said: ‘Courage means moving forward, even when
we’re afraid.’
So Ricky pressed on. He dug his
claws into the earth, pulled himself over roots and rocks, and finally, after what
felt like forever, he reached the top. The view took his breath away.
From up high, Ricky could see the
shimmering river winding through Maplewood Grove, the tall oak trees swaying,
and his family’s cozy den far below. The golden sunset painted the sky orange
and pink, and the clouds looked like tiny ships sailing across the horizon.
He smiled. “So this is what
discovery feels like,” he whispered. “I didn’t sail across an ocean, but I
found something amazing right here.”
When he returned home that evening,
Ricky told his mother everything. “Mom, Columbus didn’t just find land, he found
courage! And I did, too! I climbed Blueberry Hill!”
His mother hugged him tight. “That’s
wonderful, Ricky. Columbus’s courage helped him find something new, and your
courage helped you find your own strength.”
That night, as Ricky lay in his bed
of soft leaves, he looked out at the stars and imagined sailing across the sea
with three ships. But instead of looking for gold or fame, he dreamed of
finding new friends, new ideas, and new ways to show kindness.
He realized that real explorers
aren’t measured by how far they travel, but by how open their hearts are to
learning, growing, and caring for others.
And from that day on, Ricky the
Raccoon wasn’t just curious; he was courageous, too.
Moral
of the Story Poem:
Dream big, be brave, and face the
tide.
Let faith and courage be your guide.
Respect the past and learn each day.
Kind hearts will show the truest way.
The world is wide, its lessons deep,
For those who seek, the treasures keep.
Be bold, explore, yet gentle, too.
For love and kindness carry you through.
Discussion
Questions
1.
What lesson did Ricky learn from
hearing about Christopher Columbus?
2.
Why is it important to be brave but
also kind when we explore or try new things?
3.
What is one “new discovery” you
could make in your own world today?
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