Raven's Big Day was a little treasure hunter. Raven wore a round red hat, a tiny blue backpack, and yellow boots that went tap, tap, tap.
Raven lived beside the Enchanted Forest. Every morning, Raven looked for bright buttons, smooth stones, and happy little things. Raven was brave, but also very kind.
One sunny morning, a gold leaf floated down.
Plip!
It landed on Raven's nose.
“Hello, gold leaf,” said Raven.
The leaf had a tiny map on it. The map showed a big tree, a curly path, and a red X.
“Treasure!” said Raven. “Today is my big day!”
Tap, tap, tap went the yellow boots.
Into the Enchanted Forest went Raven.
The forest was full of soft green moss. Purple flowers nodded. Blue birds sang, “Tweet, tweet, treasure sweet!”
Raven followed the curly path. Soon, Raven found the biggest tree ever. Its trunk was wide. Its branches tickled the clouds. Its leaves shimmered like little stars.
“Excuse me,” said Raven. “I am looking for treasure.”
The tree gave a warm, woody hum.
“Hummmmmm.”
Then two kind eyes opened in the bark.
“I am the Tree Spirit,” said the tree. “I am old, gentle, and a little sleepy.”
“Hello, Tree Spirit!” said Raven. “My map says the treasure is here.”
The Tree Spirit smiled. “Yes. But the treasure box is hidden under three special things: a red berry, a silver pebble, and a feather that giggles.”
Raven nodded. “I can find them!”
First, Raven looked for a red berry.
Raven saw many berries. Some were pink. Some were orange. One berry was red, red, red.
“Found it!” said Raven.
The red berry rolled into Raven's little hand.
Next, Raven looked for a silver pebble.
By a tiny stream, pebbles went splash, splash. Raven saw brown pebbles and gray pebbles. Then, under a fern, something winked.
Wink!
It was a silver pebble.
“Found it!” said Raven.
Last, Raven needed a feather that giggled.
Raven looked up. A small white feather danced in the breeze.
“Hee-hee-hee!” giggled the feather.
It floated over a puddle.
“Oh!” said Raven.
Raven did not want to splash the red berry or lose the silver pebble. Raven thought and thought.
Then Raven took off one yellow boot. Raven used it like a little boat.
“Please hop in,” Raven told the feather.
The feather landed in the boot.
“Hee-hee! A boot boat!” it laughed.
Raven pulled the boot boat safely across the puddle with a long blade of grass.
“Found it!” said Raven.
Raven brought the berry, the pebble, and the giggling feather to the Tree Spirit.
The Tree Spirit's roots made a small door in the ground.
Creak. Creak. Pop!
There was a treasure box. It was purple with a golden moon on top.
“Open it, little treasure hunter,” said the Tree Spirit.
Raven opened the box.
Inside were ten shiny star coins, a tiny golden compass, and a new green cape with pockets.
“For me?” Raven asked.
“For you,” said the Tree Spirit. “You were clever with your boot boat. You were patient. And you were gentle with every little thing.”
Raven put on the green cape. It swished, swished, swished.
Then Raven shared one star coin with the Tree Spirit.
The Tree Spirit laughed a deep, leafy laugh. “A treasure hunter who shares is the best kind of hunter.”
The red berry became a berry bell. Ting! The silver pebble became a shiny stepping-stone. The giggling feather sat on Raven's hat.
“Hee-hee! Big day!” it said.
Raven walked home through the Enchanted Forest. Tap, tap, tap went the yellow boots. Swish, swish, swish went the new cape.
Raven had a map, a compass, star coins, and a wonderful treasure box.
But Raven's biggest treasure was a new friend in the biggest tree.
“Goodbye, Tree Spirit!” called Raven.
“Hummmmmm. Come back soon,” called the Tree Spirit.
And Raven smiled all the way home, ready for the next little treasure.