Children's Gems In My Treasure Box: Pin The Tail

Introducing Daisy Our New Character

Pin The Tail

Melvin was usually the happiest donkey in the entire pasture. His tall grey ears flicked back and forth to every little sound, and his fuzzy nose was always hunting for clover. But today, Melvin was having a very hard time.

Earlier that morning, he had overheard some children near the barn talking about a game called "Pin the Tail on the Donkey."

Melvin paused, his left ear drooping lower than the right. Pin the tail? he thought, his eyes going wide. Why on earth would anyone want to pin a tail on a donkey? My tail is perfectly attached! It’s great for swishing away sneaky flies!

The more Melvin thought about it, the more his tummy felt like a knot of tangled yarn. He wasn't usually an angry donkey, but a hot, prickly feeling began to bubble up inside him. He stamped his front hoof into the cool grass. He puffed out his cheeks. He even considered letting out a very loud, grumpy HEE-HAW toward the fence just to let everyone know he was upset!

Just then, Daisy, his sweet and patient companion, sauntered over. She noticed Melvin’s locked legs and his big, dramatic pout—his classic "statue" pose, but with a extra-huffy breath.

"What's wrong, Melvin?" Daisy asked softly, nudging his shoulder with her nose.

"They want to play a game with my tail!" Melvin snorted, turning his head so fast his floppy cream mane swished. "It made me confused, and now I'm just plain mad! In fact, I think I want to stay mad all afternoon!"

Daisy gave a gentle huff and sat down in the shaded grass. "It sounds like a silly misunderstanding, Melvin. The children play with a paper picture of a donkey, not a real one like you! But even when people say things that confuse us or hurt our feelings, keeping that anger locked inside your heart only hurts you."

Melvin blinked his dark eyes, his ears slowly rising back up. "It does?"

"It sure does," Daisy nodded. "It's okay to feel upset at first—we all feel angry or confused sometimes! But the Bible gives us wonderful advice for moments like this. It reminds us: 'In your anger do not sin,' and 'Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.' That means we shouldn't let anger set up a cozy tent inside our hearts and stay there."

Melvin looked down at his front hooves. "How do I make the prickly feeling go away?"

"You talk to God about it," Daisy said gently. "When hard times or hurtful feelings come, you can tell Him everything. You can ask Him to help you forgive, to give you peace, and to help you let go of the mad feelings before the sun sets."

Melvin took a deep, big donkey breath—in through his nose, and out with a big, floppy sigh that made his lips flutter: pfffbbbbt!

Right away, the tight knot in his tummy began to loosen. The sun felt warm on his back, and he realized he didn't want to waste a beautiful day standing around being grumpy.

"I think my tail is safe after all," Melvin said with a small, sweet twitch of his nose. "And my heart feels a whole lot lighter."

Daisy smiled, and together they trotted over to the clover patch, leaving the mad feelings behind and enjoying the sunny day God had made.

A Little Lesson for Big Hearts

It’s Okay to Feel Hurt or Confused: We all face hard times or misunderstandings that make us feel angry inside.

Don't Hold On to Anger: When we let anger stay in our hearts, it acts like a heavy backpack that gets heavier every hour.

Take It to God: Whenever you feel a hot, angry feeling starting to grow, pause and pray. Ask God to fill your heart with His peace, helping you forgive and let go of the grumpiness before the day ends!

Would you like to write another adventure for Melvin and Daisy, or would you like to explore a specific Bible verse or lesson for the next story?