Jaison and the Whispering River

Jaison loved the Glimmerwood Forest more than anything. The path to his favourite spot wiggled like a giggle, past giant mushrooms that wobbled when he poked them. The air always smelled sweet, like honey from the wattle trees. Jaison was a courageous boy; he wasn't scared of the rustle-rustle in the bushes or the shadows that danced under the big gum trees. His favourite thing was to climb as high as he could and look out over the sparkling green treetops.

One sunny arvo, his mate Kiko the kookaburra landed on his shoulder. "G'day, Jaison! On the other side of the Whispering River, the Sunbeam Berries are finally ripe! They're the yummiest berries in the whole world," Kiko chirped. "But to cross the river, you have to ride a magic leaf and sing the River's Song." Jaison's tummy did a little flip. He loved adventures, but singing? He'd never sung out loud before.

But Jaison was brave, so he marched right down to the riverbank. The water seemed to whisper, "Sing... sing... sing..." He found a big, strong gum leaf, pushed it into the water, and hopped on. He took a deep breath and tried his bravest, loudest voice, "RIVER DEEP, RIVER WIDE, TAKE ME TO THE OTHER SIDE!" But his voice came out all shaky and loud. The leaf didn't move forward. It just went around and around. Spin, spin, spin. A wave of frustration washed over him. Maybe he wasn't brave enough for this.

Just then, Kiko let out a big kookaburra laugh from a nearby branch. "That's not a song, mate, that's a shout!" he chuckled. "Courage isn't always about being the loudest. Sometimes, it's about being brave enough to try something new in a new way. Try it softly, like you're telling the river a secret." Jaison took another deep breath, closed his eyes, and thought about the sweet berries. He sang quietly, his voice gentle and happy, "River deep, river wide, take me to the other side." The leaf began to glow with a soft blue light and sailed smoothly across the water.

The Sunbeam Berries were even more amazing than he had dreamed! They tasted like pure sunshine and sweet honey. He gathered a big handful to share with Kiko and all his friends. Jaison realised that courage wasn't just for climbing trees or exploring dark paths. It was also for trying something new, like singing a song, even if you felt a bit silly at first. And that, he decided, was the sweetest discovery of all.