The Kingfisher and the River Mouse
On a bright bend of the river lived Kiko the kingfisher āfast as a breeze and sharp-eyed for fishāand Mina the river mouseāquiet, clever, and a master at building warm nests. When a sudden flood washed away the miceās stores and left baby mice frightened, Kiko and Mina discovered that two very different talents could make a safe home for everyone.
š« Quick Tale for Busy Evenings
When the river swelled and tiny nests floated away, Mina panickedāher little ones were cold and hungry. Kiko dived and brought back fish; Mina sewed a new nest from reeds. Together they sheltered every family and learned that combining gifts keeps everyone afloat.
Moral: Different strengths, shared kindness.
š Full Story
Kiko the kingfisher lived above the river on a low branch, where the sunlight sliced the water into silver strips. He loved to hover, aim, and plunge. Catching fish was his joyāand he was quick to share a grin with the river when he returned from a good dive.
Down below, Mina the river mouse kept her family in a snug nest tucked beneath bulrushes. Mina was a patient weaver; she braided reeds and tucked leaves until each baby mouse slept soft and warm. She rarely went far from shoreāthere was too much to do close to home.
One spring night, a fierce storm rolled in. Wind bellowed, and the river rose like an angry giant. When morning came, the banks had changed: nests were loosened, storage holes filled with mud, and many tiny families shivered in soggy reeds.
Mina counted heads. One nestāwhere little Pip livedāwas nowhere to be found. Panic fluttered in her chest. She darted along the bank, squeaking for help.
From above, Kiko heard the tiny cries. He hovered, then dove, skimming the surface with practiced skill. He spotted Pip clinging to a floating tussock and flung himself down. With a gentle beak and careful wings, Kiko guided the tussock to the shallows where Mina waited.
Minaās paws trembled with relief. But the work wasnāt done: the babies were cold and the bulrushes were thin. Mina began weaving a new nest, but the threads kept slipping in the wet mud. Kiko watched as she struggled, then had an idea.
He dived and returned with long flexible reeds and a couple of flat leaves, placing them where Mina could reach. Mina braided three new cords andāusing Kikoās findsāwove a nest that floated low and warm. Kiko fished for enough small silver fish to fill many tiny bellies, and Mina tucked them away in a sheltered hollow.
When the sun came out, the river calmed. Families came back to dry banks and new nests. Mina and Kiko sat together on the warm rock, watching the little ones nap. They grinned at each otherāone with a flash of wet feathers, the other with sticky reed sap on her paws.
From that day on, Kiko kept an eye on the shore after storms, and Mina always made sure to leave a braid of extra reeds where a friend could find them. They learned that kindness shows up in many shapesāsome fly fast, and some sew slowābut together they made the river a kinder place.
Moral:
Different strengths, shared kindness.
š Conclusion
Kiko and Minaās friendship shows that the world is easier when we bring what we do best and give it to others. When courage, skill, and care meet, even the wildest floods canāt sweep away what people build together.
āØ Final Words
Thank you for visiting the riverbend with Kiko and Mina! For more cozy animal tales, playful activities, and screen-free moments, paddle over to GlowPebbleāwhere every small kindness becomes a big story. š