In a colourful forest filled with chirping birds and rustling leaves, there lived a lively young rabbit named Remy. Remy was known for his boundless energy and curiosity, but he had one big problem – he never stopped to think before he acted.
One sunny morning, Remy’s nose twitched as he caught sight of the most beautiful red apple he’d ever seen, hanging from a tree across a wide, rushing river.
“Wow!” Remy exclaimed, his eyes sparkling. “I’ve got to have that apple!”
Without a second thought, Remy hopped towards the river’s edge, ready to jump in. But just then, his friend Toby, the wise old tortoise, called out, “Remy, wait! What are you doing?”
Remy turned to Toby with a grin. “I’m going to swim across and get that shiny red apple!”
Toby frowned, his wrinkled face creasing with worry. “Remy, have you thought about this? Remember, it’s important to think before you act. The river looks dangerous.”
“Oh, Toby,” Remy laughed, “You worry too much! I’ll be fine!”
Before Toby could say another word, Remy leapt into the river with a splash. But as soon as he hit the water, he realised his mistake. The current was much stronger than he had thought.
“Help!” Remy cried, his little paws splashing frantically. “The water’s too strong!”
Toby acted quickly. He called to the nearby birds, “Friends, please help Remy! He’s in trouble!”
A group of colourful birds swooped down, grasped Remy gently with their beaks, and carried him back to shore. Remy lay on the riverbank, soaking wet and shivering.
“Thank you,” Remy said quietly, looking at Toby and the birds. “I should have listened to you, Toby.”
Toby smiled kindly. “Remy, it’s okay to be curious and adventurous. But it’s also important to think before you act. Every action has a consequence, and we need to consider those consequences before we make decisions.”
Remy nodded, understanding dawning in his eyes. “You’re right, Toby. From now on, I’ll try to think before I act. But… I still really want that apple.”
Toby chuckled. “Well, let’s think about this together. How could we safely get that apple?”
Remy’s face lit up. “Oh! We could ask the birds to fly over and get it for us!”
“That’s a great idea, Remy,” Toby praised. “See? When you take a moment to think, you often come up with much better solutions.”
From that day on, whenever Remy felt the urge to do something risky, he remembered his adventure at the river. He’d take a deep breath and think, “What would Toby say? Think before you act, Remy!”
And so, Remy learned one of life’s most important lessons: to think before you act. It was a lesson he carried with him always, making him not just the most energetic rabbit in the forest but also one of the wisest.
