This is a tale of a little fox called Vesta, who dreamt of walking alone amongst the stars and the midnight sky.  

“Vesta the daydreamer!” Vesta’s siblings would say, as they would catch her getting lost in the bushes. 

“She’ll find her way,” they would all chant.  

But Vesta was the smallest of them all and was easy prey without the protection of her brothers and sisters. 

She was miniscule compared to a lion, shorter than a wolf and lacked the crafty instinct that her pointed eared siblings had.  

“Don’t go past the tree stump,” said her brother. 

“Watch out for the snakes!” warned Deer. 

“Never trust a wolf,” murmured her mother.  

When the other foxes called out, “Look after yourself, little fox.” Vesta was angry, she didn’t want to be coddled anymore.  

“I’m not a baby!” She thought, and with flick of her foot, she followed her siblings into the woods.  

The other foxes were enjoying themselves immensely, that they forgot all about little Vesta, and soon they had left her behind, alone in the deep dark wood.  

“Vroom, vroom”  

“What was that noise?” thought Vesta. 

A truck exploded through the trees, getting dangerously close to Vesta’s paw. She turned quickly and ran deeper into the woods, when… 

“Crack!” The sound of a stick snapping in half caught the little fox’s attention. “Welcome, my friend,” smirked the Wolf. “Come and join me for dinner!” 

Quivering in distress, Vesta remembered what her mother said. Although they may look similar, the wolf was not to be trusted.  

So, she ran and ran and ran – with all her strength, until… 

She ran right into a BIG grey elephant.  

“Hello,” said the elephant. “What’s a little rascal like you doing here in the middle of the deep dark forest?” 

“Don’t eat me!” cried Vesta, shaking with fear.

The elephant smiled. “I am an elephant,” he said, “and I only eat grass and leaves, which are a lot greener than you.” 

The Elephant’s eye was so profound and compassionate that Vesta exclaimed, “I don’t know where I am! I wanted to prove to everyone how strong I am even if I am the smallest fox, but now I feel weaker than ever!” 

The Elephant looked seriously at Vesta. “Being strong is not all it’s cracked up to be,” he said. 

“But you must be the strongest creature in the forest,” said Vesta. “That is something very special.” 

“I guess,” said the elephant. 

“And if that is true, you must be the tiniest fox in the forest. That is something special too.”  

Then the Elephant said, “I can help you find your way home. Special creatures should work together. Follow me.” 

So, side by side, they walked all the way back to Vesta’s home. 

“I must say goodbye here,” said the Elephant. “I am too big, but I will keep watch until you’re in your underground house.” 

Vesta thanked the Elephant, and then with a kick and a jump, she said goodbye. The other foxes ran to Vesta in a rustling wave of leaves. 

“There you are!” cried her brother.  

“We were so very scared,” grumbled her sister. 

Vesta was now tucked safely next to her mother. 

“I may be the smallest fox,” she thought, “but everything here is perfect for me.”