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Pin The
Tail
A Melvin and Daisy Story About Letting Go of Anger
Melvin was usually the happiest donkey in the entire
pasture.
His tall gray ears flicked back and forth to every little
sound, and his fuzzy nose was always hunting for patches of sweet clover. Most
days he could be found trotting through the meadow, enjoying the sunshine God
had made.
But today was different.
Earlier that morning, Melvin had overheard some children
near the barn talking excitedly about a game called "Pin the Tail on
the Donkey."
Melvin stopped chewing.
His left ear drooped lower than the right.
"Pin the tail?" he thought.
His eyes grew 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 tangled ball of yarn.
Soon, a hot prickly feeling began bubbling inside him.
He stamped his hoof.
He huffed.
He puffed out his cheeks.
He even considered letting out a loud, grumpy
"HEE-HAWWWW!"
toward the fence just so everyone would know how upset he
was.
Just then Benny the Goat came trotting by, munching a
dandelion.
Benny was famous throughout the pasture for having a very
large imagination.
In fact, his imagination was often bigger than the problems
he imagined.
He noticed Melvin standing stiff as a fence post.
"Why do you look like a raincloud with ears?"
Benny asked.
Melvin sighed dramatically.
"The children are planning to play a game called Pin
the Tail on the Donkey."
Benny froze.
"The WHAT?"
"Pin the Tail on the Donkey."
Benny's eyes nearly popped out of his head.
"Oh dear."
"What?" asked Melvin nervously.
Benny looked around and lowered his voice.
"What if they're collecting donkey tails?"
Melvin gasped.
"Collecting tails?"
"Certainly."
"What for?"
"A museum."
"A museum?"
Benny nodded solemnly.
"A very fancy museum. Rows and rows of donkey tails
hanging on walls."
Melvin's jaw dropped.
"My tail belongs attached to me!"
Benny paced in circles.
"Then again, maybe they're holding a county fair
competition."
"What kind of competition?"
"The Longest Tail Contest!"
Melvin immediately sat on his tail.
"No one is measuring my tail!"
Benny scratched his chin.
"Hmm. Perhaps they're building flying machines."
"Flying machines?"
"Well, yes."
"How would that work?"
"I haven't figured that part out yet."
Melvin blinked.
"That doesn't make any sense."
"It doesn't?"
"No."
"You're right," Benny admitted. "But it
sounded exciting."
By now Melvin's tummy was tied tighter than ever.
The more Benny imagined, the worse everything seemed.
Before long, Melvin had hidden behind a hay bale with his
tail tucked safely underneath him.
A butterfly landed on his nose.
Usually that would make him smile.
Today he frowned.
The other animals wandered toward the clover patch.
Usually Melvin loved clover.
Today he stayed put.
He was simply too busy worrying.
And the worrying soon turned into anger.
"This isn't fair!" Melvin grumbled.
"They shouldn't play games about donkey tails!"
Just then Daisy came walking through the pasture.
She was sweet, patient, and wise.
She noticed Melvin hiding behind the hay bale and Benny
pacing in circles.
"What are you two doing?" she asked.
"We're protecting my tail!" Melvin cried.
"From the museum," Benny added.
"The contest," said Melvin.
"The flying machine," Benny finished.
Daisy stared at them both.
Then she laughed so hard she nearly rolled into the clover
patch.
Finally she caught her breath.
"Oh, boys," she said gently. "The children
aren't talking about a real donkey."
"They aren't?" Melvin asked.
"No. It's a paper game. They pin a paper tail onto a
picture of a donkey while blindfolded."
Melvin blinked.
Then blinked again.
"My tail isn't in danger?"
"Not even a little."
"No museum?"
"No
museum."
"No
contest?"
"No
contest."
"No flying machine?"
"Definitely no flying machine."
Benny looked relieved.
Then he looked slightly disappointed.
"The museum would have been interesting."
Even Melvin couldn't help smiling.
But then he frowned again.
"I still feel upset," he admitted. "I spent
all afternoon worrying. And once I got angry, I almost wanted to stay
angry."
Daisy nodded.
"I know that feeling."
"You do?"
"Everyone gets angry sometimes. Everyone gets confused
sometimes, too. But God doesn't want anger to build a cozy little tent inside
our hearts."
Melvin's ears perked up.
"He doesn't?"
Daisy shook her head.
"The Bible says, 'Be ye angry, and sin not: let not
the sun go down upon your wrath.'"
"Ephesians 4:26?" Benny asked.
"That's right," Daisy said.
"So it's okay to feel upset at first?"
"Of course," Daisy replied. "But when we hold
onto anger, it becomes heavier and heavier. God wants us to bring our hurt
feelings to Him."
Melvin looked down at his hooves.
"What should I do?"
"Talk to God."
Right there in the sunshine, Melvin bowed his head.
"Dear Lord," he whispered, "I got upset and
angry because I thought something bad was happening. Thank You for helping me
learn the truth. Please help me let go of my anger and fill my heart with Your
peace instead. Amen."
As soon as he finished praying, he took a long, deep donkey
breath.
In through his nose.
Out through his mouth.
Pffffbbbbtttt!
His lips flapped.
His ears relaxed.
The knot inside his tummy slowly disappeared.
Suddenly the sunshine seemed brighter.
The grass seemed greener.
And the clover patch smelled wonderful.
"I think my tail is safe after all," Melvin said
with a happy twitch of his nose.
"And my heart feels lighter."
Daisy smiled.
Benny grinned.
"Race you to the clover!"
The three friends trotted across the pasture together.
As they passed the barn, Melvin peeked around the corner and
saw the children playing.
Sure enough, they were laughing around a giant paper donkey.
Not one real donkey tail was in danger.
Melvin laughed.
Then he ran to join his friends, leaving his worries behind
and enjoying the beautiful day God had made.
🌼 A Little Lesson for Big
Hearts 🌼
It's Okay to Feel Hurt or Confused
Sometimes we misunderstand things or hear something that
worries us. Even God's children have moments when they feel upset.
Don't Hold On to Anger
Anger can feel like carrying a heavy backpack. The longer we
carry it, the heavier it becomes.
Learn the Truth
Sometimes our imagination can make a problem seem bigger than
it really is. Before becoming upset, ask questions and learn the facts.
Take It to God
When angry feelings begin to grow, stop and pray. Tell God
exactly how you feel and ask Him for wisdom, peace, and forgiveness.
God's Word
"Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down
upon your wrath:"
Ephesians 4:26 (KJV)
Melvin's Memory Thought
"I don't have to stay angry. I can tell God how I
feel, trust Him to help me, and choose peace instead."
Story by Susan Y. Nikitenko © 2026 🌻🫏🐐💕
__Short Version__
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?
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 upset, 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!
Susan Y Nikitenko 2026© GD- AnnaBenNMRMPMPaPaPBKB 3011 C
