Charlie the Chimp Learns to Cheer Others On
By Bill Conley
America’s Favorite Children’s Storyteller
Moral
of the Story:
True joy comes not only from winning
but from celebrating others when they do.
Encouragement is a gift that lifts hearts higher than trophies ever can. Cheering
for others makes friendship stronger and love brighter. When we clap for someone
else, we show confidence instead of jealousy. Happiness grows when we focus on
kindness instead of competition. Everyone has a turn to shine, and our turn
will come in time. The best victories are shared with friends who cheer from
the heart.
A caring heart always finds happiness in the success of others.
In the sunny treetops of Mango Grove
lived a playful young chimp named Charlie. He loved to climb, swing, and race
through the vines. Charlie was quick, clever, and full of energy, but he also
had a habit of wanting to win at everything.
When the animals played games,
Charlie always had to be first. If he came in second, his smile disappeared
faster than a banana in a monkey’s paw.
“I am supposed to win,” he often
said proudly. “I am the fastest climber in the jungle.”
His friends liked Charlie, but they
sometimes rolled their eyes when he bragged too much.
One bright morning, the animals
gathered for the annual Jungle Games, a day full of races, jumps, and contests.
The air buzzed with excitement as everyone practiced.
Charlie stretched his long arms and
grinned. “This year, I will win every event.”
Lila the Leopard smiled. “Remember,
Charlie, it is about having fun.”
Charlie laughed. “Fun is winning!”
The first event was the vine-swing
race. The animals lined up while the parrots counted down. “Three, two, one,
go!”
Charlie swung fast from vine to
vine, his hands gripping tightly. The wind whooshed through his fur. But near
the finish line, his hand slipped, and he tumbled into a bush. Lila zipped past
him and crossed the line first.
Charlie scowled. “That vine was too
short! It was not fair.”
Lila laughed softly. “It was the
same for everyone, Charlie. You did great.”
But Charlie turned away, refusing to
clap for her victory.
The next event was the banana toss.
Benny the Baboon threw the farthest, and the crowd cheered loudly. Charlie
crossed his arms. “Beginner’s luck,” he muttered.
Lila frowned. “Why can’t you be
happy for Benny?”
Charlie shrugged. “Because I wanted
to win.”
Mrs. Parrot, who was watching from
above, flew down and perched on a branch near Charlie. “My dear,” she said
gently, “do you know the joy of cheering for someone else?”
Charlie frowned. “Why would I cheer
when I lose?”
“Because when you cheer,” Mrs.
Parrot said, “you give happiness away—and it always finds its way back to you.”
Charlie did not quite understand,
but her words stayed in his mind.
Later that afternoon came the
tree-climbing challenge. Charlie was determined to win this one. He stretched,
focused, and climbed faster than ever before. His hands flew from branch to
branch, and he was just about to reach the top when he heard a cry below.
“Help! I am stuck!”
It was Benny the Baboon. His foot
was wedged between two branches, and he could not move.
Charlie hesitated. If he stopped to
help, he would lose the race. But he remembered Mrs. Parrot’s words.
He looked up at the shiny golden
coconut that marked the finish line, then down at Benny struggling in fear.
Charlie took a deep breath and
climbed back down. “Hold still, Benny,” he said. Carefully, he untangled
Benny’s foot and helped him back to safety.
“Thank you, Charlie,” Benny said,
smiling gratefully.
By the time they reached the ground,
Lila had already won the race. Everyone cheered as she held up the golden
coconut.
Charlie smiled shyly and clapped for
her. “Good job, Lila! You climbed like lightning.”
The crowd turned toward him in
surprise. They were used to Charlie pouting after losing, not cheering.
Lila grinned. “Thanks, Charlie! That
means a lot.”
Mrs. Parrot flew down and said
softly, “How does that feel?”
Charlie paused. “Strangely good,” he
admitted. “I did not win, but I feel proud anyway.”
Mrs. Parrot nodded. “That is because
kindness always wins.”
From that day on, Charlie changed.
When his friends practiced, he encouraged them. “You can do it!” he called.
“Keep going!”
When someone else won, he clapped
the loudest and smiled the brightest. He even helped the younger monkeys learn
to climb without fear.
At the next Jungle Games, Charlie
competed again—but this time, he focused on enjoying the fun instead of chasing
the prizes.
He did his best in every event, and
when Benny won the banana toss again, Charlie jumped up and cheered. “Way to
go, Benny!”
Benny grinned. “Thanks, Charlie! You
are the best teammate ever.”
When Lila won another race, Charlie
laughed and patted her on the back. “You are amazing, Lila.”
By the end of the day, Charlie had
not won a single event. But when the crowd gathered for the final celebration,
Mrs. Parrot made an announcement.
“This year’s award for the Jungle
Spirit goes to Charlie the Chimp, for his kindness, teamwork, and
encouragement!”
The animals cheered wildly.
Charlie’s eyes widened in surprise. “Me? Really?”
Mrs. Parrot nodded. “You showed
everyone that cheering for others is the greatest victory of all.”
Charlie blushed as his friends
surrounded him. “Thank you,” he said. “I finally understand that winning is
fun, but helping others feel proud is even better.”
That night, as the moon shone over
Mango Grove, Charlie sat in a tree beside his friends. The air was filled with
laughter and music. He smiled and thought, “It feels good to win hearts instead
of races.”
From then on, Charlie became known
throughout the jungle as the chimp who cheered for everyone. And in his heart,
he knew that kindness would always be his greatest prize.
Poem:
Cheer for others when they win,
Let their joy come rushing in.
When your turn comes, they will see,
How cheering builds community.
Lift your voice and clap your hands.
Help each heart that understands.
When kindness shines where pride once stood,
You make the world a place of good.
Questions
for Discussion:
1.
Why did Charlie have trouble being
happy when others won at first?
2.
What did Mrs. Parrot teach Charlie
about cheering for others?
3.
How does encouraging your friends
make everyone feel happier?
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