Finley the Forgetful Fox and the Homework Heist: A Story About Hard Work
Finley the fox was known for his mischievous grin and a memory like a leaky bucket. Every afternoon, after a fun day of chasing butterflies and digging for beetles, his mama would remind him, ‘‘Finley, don’t forget your homework!’’
But Finley, lost in a daydream about pirate foxes and buried treasure, would absentmindedly nod and skip off to play. When he finally stumbled home, his pockets would be full of acorns and twigs, and he would have no energy to do his homework. It didn’t bother him, though. Until one day.
It was a sunny afternoon, and Finley was building a magnificent sandcastle before school with his friend, Beatrice, the Badger. Suddenly, a gust of wind swept through the clearing, scattering papers everywhere. It was Finley’s homework–pages full of unfinished alphabet exercises and math problems he was supposed to do!
Beatrice gasped. ‘‘Finley! Those pages are this week’s homework, and tomorrow is the last day to hand them in! If you don’t complete it, Mrs. Owl will be so disappointed, and she might not let you go on the June school trip to the sandy beach!”
Finley’s ears drooped. He didn’t want to disappoint his favorite teacher, and missing the school trip meant missing out on playtime and building the tallest sandcastle tower ever! He felt a pang of worry and regret for not doing his homework.
‘‘Erm, I kind of forgot... Can I borrow yours to see the answers?’’ he asked insecurely.
Beatrice tilted her head: ‘‘Finley, I did mine a little by little, and I handed it in yesterday. Besides, we are supposed to do our homework by ourselves; copying someone else’s work is cheating.’’
Finley blushed, feeling ashamed of his question. The school bell rang, and they both headed to their classroom, but for the rest of the day, Finley couldn’t stop worrying about the amount of work that needed to be done.
After school, Finley was passing by the pond on his way back home when he saw a wise old turtle named Mr. Shelly. Seeing Finley’s frown, Mr. Shelly stopped and asked kindly, ‘‘What troubles you, young fox?’’
Finley poured out his woes – the forgotten homework, his failed ‘‘copying’’ idea and the fright of missing out on a school trip and disappointing his teacher. Mr. Shelly listened patiently, then chuckled softly.
...
Just like Finley learned that hard work brings its own reward, can you think of a time you worked hard on something, like drawing a picture,
building a castle, or creating a Mother’s Day gift? How did you feel when you finished it? (This question encourages readers to connect with the story
and recognize the satisfaction of completing a task through effort.)