Cinch is a small green dinosaur. He lives in a soft nest on a tall mountain. Each morning he smiles at the sun. He yawns and stretches his short arms. He blinks his big eyes. He feels happy and calm. Today is a special day. He will search for shiny stones. He has dreamt of them all week. Cinch says hello to a little bird. The bird chirps back. Cinch listens.
Cinch packs a small bag. He puts in fresh leaves for snacks. He takes a tiny water drop in a shell. He grabs his red leaf map. He ties the bag with a vine. He feels ready. He waves goodbye to his mountain home. He hums a soft tune. He steps down the rocky path.
Soon Cinch meets the Jungle Guide. The Jungle Guide is a friendly parrot. His feathers are bright green, yellow, and red. He flutters around Cinch. He says, "Hello, friend." Are you ready? Cinch nods. He answers, "Yes, I am ready." The Jungle Guide laughs. He flaps his wings twice. He says, "Let us go find the shiny stones."
They walk under tall trees. They see bright butterflies. They see red flowers. They see a sleeping turtle. They wave to a squirrel friend. The squirrel waves back. They feel happy to see all friends.
They reach a shiny blue river. The water is cold and clear. They find a fallen log. They balance across the log. Cinch holds his bag tight. He steps slowly. He watches his toes. He makes it to the other side. The Jungle Guide cheers, "You did it!" Cinch claps his tiny hands. He feels proud. He feels brave.
They sing a happy song. La la la. They clap and dance.
Suddenly they hear a rumble. The ground shakes a little. They stop. They look ahead. They see a large figure. It is the Ogre. He has big feet and a big belly. He looks big but slow. He says, "Who walks here?" His voice is deep but gentle.
Cinch feels shy. The Jungle Guide hides behind a leaf. The Ogre steps closer. He says, "I love shiny stones too. Will you share?" Cinch blinks. He nods slowly. He says, "Yes. We will share." The Ogre smiles a toothy grin. He says, "Thank you, little one."
The Ogre points to a cave. They go in. A glow bug shines. They see shiny stones. Cinch picks a stone. They feel happy.
They leave the cave. They cross the log. They climb to the mountain top. At the top, they share the stones. Cinch gives one to the Jungle Guide. He gives one to the Ogre. They all smile. They watch the sunset. The stones glow like tiny lanterns in the dark.
They dance under the sky. They clap. They laugh. They say good night. They feel warm.
They smile with joy. Cinch feels warm in his heart. He is brave. He is kind. He is not alone. He has friends. He has shiny stones. He feels happy as he falls asleep under the stars. The end.