Скачать или смотреть The Family Under the Old Oak Tree | Illustrated Fairy Tales

Deep in the Whispering Woods, where the leaves danced with every breeze, there lived a family of squirrels in a cozy hollow high up in an ancient oak tree. There was Mama Squirrel with her warm brown eyes, Papa Squirrel with his bushy silver-tipped tail, and their three children: Clara, the eldest, who was clever and cautious; Max, the middle child, who was brave but sometimes reckless; and little Luna, the youngest, whose curiosity knew no bounds.

As autumn painted the forest in shades of gold and crimson, Mama and Papa Squirrel began teaching their children the most important lesson every young squirrel must learn: how to prepare for winter. "Remember," Mama would say, "we must gather twice as many acorns as we think we need, for winter is long and full of surprises."

Clara took this lesson to heart, carefully selecting the plumpest acorns and storing them in a special corner of their tree hollow. Max, however, preferred to practice his jumping and climbing skills, claiming there would be plenty of time to gather acorns later. Luna watched her siblings with wide eyes, trying to decide whose example to follow.

One particularly windy day, Max discovered a patch of the most delicious mushrooms he had ever tasted, growing at the base of their oak tree. "Look what I found!" he called to his sisters. "We don't need to gather boring old acorns when we have these!" Despite Clara's warnings about saving for winter, Max spent his days feasting on mushrooms and playing in the falling leaves.

As the days grew shorter and the air turned crisp, Clara's corner of the hollow filled up with acorns, while Max's remained empty. Luna, seeing the wisdom in her sister's ways, began helping Clara gather food, though she also made time to play with Max.

Then came the first frost, and with it, a terrible discovery: all the mushrooms had withered away. Max's carefree smile faded as he realized his mistake. That night, he couldn't sleep, worried about the long winter ahead.

The next morning, Clara found her brother sitting alone on a branch, looking glum. Instead of saying "I told you so," she put a gentle paw on his shoulder and said, "It's not too late, Max. We can help you gather acorns today." Luna joined them too, and together the three young squirrels worked harder than ever before.

When the first snow fell, blanketing the forest in white, the hollow under the old oak tree was filled with enough acorns for everyone. During the cold winter nights, as the family snuggled together sharing stories, Max would often say, "I learned that working together and planning ahead makes us stronger than going it alone."

From that winter onward, Max never forgot his lesson. While he remained playful and adventurous, he always made sure to help with the gathering when autumn came around. And sometimes, on special occasions, Clara would surprise everyone by showing them where she had found some late-growing mushrooms, proving that there was room for both fun and responsibility in their lives.

The family under the old oak tree lived happily through many more seasons, teaching other young squirrels that the best preparation for tomorrow is what you do today, and that it's never too late to learn from your mistakes.

And so, when you walk through the woods in autumn and see squirrels busily gathering acorns, remember the tale of Max and his sisters, and know that even the smallest creatures understand the importance of working together and planning for the future.