Lily the Lamb and the Blanket of Many Patches

Chapter 1: Help Poor & Needy

In a snowy hillside village called Woolly Meadow, there lived a young lamb named Lily. Lily had soft white wool, a tiny silver bell around her neck, and a warm home with a crackling fireplace. Every evening, her mother tucked her into a cozy bed with a thick blanket and a cup of warm milk.

Lily never thought much about it. She had always had enough.

One freezing morning, as snowflakes swirled through the air, Lily skipped to school with her lunch basket swinging. Along the path, she noticed a small shape huddled beside a fence post. It was a young goat named Pebble, wearing a thin, ragged scarf. His hooves were cracked with cold, and his tummy gave a loud rumble.

Lily slowed down. Pebble looked up with big, tired eyes, then quickly looked away, as if embarrassed to be seen.

Maybe I should keep walking, Lily thought. I'll be late for school.

But then she remembered how warm her bed had felt that morning. She remembered the steaming porridge and the fire. And she thought, What if I were the one sitting in the snow?

She stopped. "Hello," she said gently. "Are you all right?"

Pebble shrugged. "I'm fine," he mumbled. But his teeth chattered.

Lily opened her basket. Inside were a warm roll, a juicy pear, and a wedge of cheese. "Would you like to share my lunch?" she asked. "I have plenty."

Pebble hesitated. "Are you sure?"