For this action project we were required to write a fable that would teach a lesson to a younger audience. I chose to teach lesson of self acceptance and loving who you are and defining your own beauty. The lesson is told through anthropomorphic characters. They happen to be to squirrels competing in a beauty competition in their mellow town of Lincoln Square. This story came to me after reading an article about a young girl who was being shamed at school for having dark skin. I saw the picture of her at the bottom of the article, I thought she looked beautiful and was not sure what kind of ignorance could lead to a group of people treating someone so horribly for who they are. Through critical thinking I was able to come to the conclusion that people who are willing to attack you for who you are, is because they are not able to accept who they are. Therefore they take it out on the people who are around them. In order to change people's perception of beauty.
Symon was a cute nerdy black squirrel, from the far end of the bike path in Lincoln Square. His tree was small and leafy. He loved to sit under his tree in the warm summer months and read books about faraway places. He did not spend much time away from his end of the path but recently gone into town to visit his aunt Neena. In this visit she told him tales of all the beauty pageants she used to win when she was a young squirrel. She said to him that if he were to participate in the pageant with his beautiful black fur he would surely win first place.
With a new found confidence burning in his heart, he called up his library buddy Leo and asked to meet at the taco place for a snack. Leo agreed with excitement in his voice. Symon skipped down to the taco shop and waited eagerly for Leo. Looking around hesitantly, Symon spotted Leo across the playground. Leo scurried over with a snake of dust behind him. Rushing over to Symon with open arms, the two friends embraced, squealing with joy. Walking quickly into the taco shop, they ordered steamy chicken burritos. They sat under the big oak tree outside the shop. Symon broke the news that he wanted to be in the beauty pageant. Leo’s eyes bugged out with joy shouting “FOR REAL OH MY GOSH YOUR FUR IS SO RARE AND BEAUTIFUL YOU WILL BE A PERFECT WIN.” Symon gave Leo a big hug and thanked him for all his support and love.
Sitting just on the other side of the oak tree was the most popular squirrel in all of Lincoln Square. With her straight brown fur and bushy light brown tale she struts behind the tree hand on hip and stops in front of Leo and Symon. Clearing her throat with a high pitched cough she says,”Really, you think you will win the beauty pageant over me? I am the five year winner and with the color of that fur you won't get anywhere.” Symon and Leo look at her in complete and utter shock. Symon’s big brown eyes began to brim with tears. He takes off into the baseball field with his paws covering his eyes. Leo shouts after him, Symon unable to hear Keeps running. Leo looks back at Rita who is laughing hysterically at her evil comment to Symon. Leo turns back to Rita with hot coals burning in his eyes, How dare you treat my friend that way? Who cares what he looks like. Heck no one cares what you or I even look like as long as you love yourself and the people around you.”
As night begins to fall, Symon lumbers sadly down the other end of the bike path to the pool where he knows he can consult a magical fairy that can make any wish come true. As he arrives at the pool he sees the fairy has left him a note and a small bottle of magical fairy dust. Symon without a second thought picked up the note and read allowed, “I knew you would soon be wishing for this but if you choose to take this dust you may not get the results you want and they will last for only two days”. Symon cast the note into the pool, sprinkling on the fairy dust. As his toes began to tingle he looked at his reflection in the pool and watched as his fur went from black to light brown. He skips with glee back to his house ready for the beauty pageant only 1 day away keeping in mind the dust would wear off midnight of the second day.
Symon woke up early on the 24th ready to win the pageant. He briskly headed down to the playground where the pageant was being held and found the gate was locked and no one was there. Looking up he saw that the date of the pageant was on th 25th. He shuddered realizing by this time the magic fairy dust will have stopped working. He called his friend Leo in despair and asked what he should do. Leo promptly advised to forget all about what mean old Rita said and said,” Symon you are so beautiful, the only reason why RIta said what she did is because she knows she looks like everyone else and the judges want to see uniqueness and self love.
The night before the pageant Symon had a dream of him winning the pageant with his natural black fur and Knew the next morning the best thing he could do is show the judges who he really was and no matter whether he wins or not he knows that he is beautiful and he doesn't need magic dust to let the rest of the world know that.
The next morning Symon arrived at the pageant first in line to get his number. As the morning went on with different trials and activities, Symon kept a positive attitude about himself. By mid afternoon the final test winners wear being announced. Symon got in line and a drip of sweat rolled down his face. Keeping a perfect smile on his face he listened hard as the main judge stood and cleared her throat. She read aloud, “The winner of this year’s beauty pageant is Symon”. Symon gasped with surprise, “I won” he said aloud to himself with a smile beaming brighter than the sun. His aunt and best friend were correct his unique fur was not a bad thing but a reason to celebrate.
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