The Reindeer Who Was Afraid of Heights
Ruby the reindeer can pull a sleigh faster than anyone — as long as it stays on the ground.
Ruby was the fastest reindeer in the snowy north. She could race across the frozen lake quicker than a snowball rolling downhill.
But there was one problem. Ruby was scared of heights.
Every winter, the reindeer practiced flying for the big holiday night. Every winter, Ruby found an excuse. "My hooves are cold." "I have a sniffle." "I think I hear my mom calling."
One night, a big snowstorm blew in. The wind howled. The snow swirled. And a little arctic fox came running. "Help! My cubs are stuck on the other side of Icicle Canyon!"
The canyon was deep and wide. No one could run across it. Someone would have to fly.
All the other reindeer were far away, busy with holiday practice. Only Ruby was there.
Her legs trembled. Her heart thumped. But she thought about the little fox cubs, cold and scared.
"I can do hard things," Ruby whispered. "Just one step at a time."
She didn't look down. She looked straight ahead at the other side. She pushed off with her strong legs — and she flew!
Ruby brought the cubs back one by one, tucked safely in the fox's basket. When the last cub was home, everyone cheered.
Ruby landed in the snow, panting and grinning. "I was still scared," she said. "But I did it anyway."
That holiday night, Ruby flew at the very front of the team — and she never once looked down.
⭐ The End ⭐
💬 Talk about it
- What was Ruby afraid of?
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Heights and flying. - Who needed Ruby's help?
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An arctic fox whose cubs were stuck across a canyon. - What did Ruby tell herself to be brave?
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"I can do hard things. Just one step at a time."
