It was the end of summer and a beautiful morning. Ella woke up early as she usually did, but she didn’t get out of bed right away. After a few minutes, she called out “Mom!”
“What is it honey?” asked Mom.
“There’s a unicorn under my bed!”
“Oh, I see,” said Mom. “Unicorns are good luck, but what is he doing under your bed?”
“I think he is hungry.” said Ella. “He’s looking for something to eat.”
“Well, what do unicorns eat?” asked Mom.
“I don’t know,” said Ella. “I think they eat bugs.”
Ella got dressed quickly. During breakfast, Mom asked her what she wanted her unicorn to do.
Ella thought about it for a moment. “Since he is hungry, I want him to go outside where he can find some bugs to eat,” she said. “Then, I think it will be time for him to go home.”
He did go outside to find something to eat, but, since unicorns don’t really eat bugs, Little Unicorn found a lovely, old apple tree in the garden and he ate two crisp apples. Unicorns love apples.
Then he started missing his mama, so he decided it was time to go back to his home in the woods by the clear, sparkling stream.
Ella decided to follow him because she wanted to see where he lived. She would take her dog, Max, with her to keep her company. They would hide because she did not want Little Unicorn to see them and be startled. She packed a snack and some water for herself and Max.
Little Unicorn soon came to another big garden full of summer flowers and all kinds of vegetables. There were carrots, green beans, pumpkins, lettuce and potatoes. There he met a nice family of bunnies who gave him a crunchy carrot to eat. He thanked them for their kindness and went on his way.
After a while, he came to a large patch of ripe blackberries. There he met a family of deer and they shared the berries with him. He rested there for a few minutes and visited with the deer. Then he thanked them for their kindness and went on his way.
Ella loved watching Little Unicorn and the friends he met. She stayed hidden and Max was very quiet.
Then Little Unicorn came to a beautiful, green pasture with horses and cows. There he met a family of Bluebirds who were catching bugs. They offered him some of the bugs they caught, but, since unicorns don’t really eat bugs, he politely declined. Still, he thanked them for their kindness before going on his way.
Little Unicorn finally reached his home in the woods and found the clear, sparkling stream. It was shady and cool in the forest, and he was glad to be home. He bent down to get a drink from the stream. Suddenly all of his woodland friends came out to greet him. There were foxes, racoons, squirrels, the badgers and the owls and woodpeckers that live in the trees. And, of course, there were more deer.
Ella and Max watched this wonderful homecoming from behind the trees. But they stayed very quiet.
Then Little Unicorn looked up and saw his mama. He ran to her, and Mama Unicorn was so happy to see him.
She knew he must he tired from his adventure. Once the woodland friends went back to their homes in the forest, Mama made a soft bed of leaves over a hollow log where Little Unicorn could take a nap.
He had a nice, long nap and dreamed of his adventures. When he woke up, he called out, “Mama!”
“What is it, honey?” asked Mama.
“There’s a little girl under my bed!”
“I see,” said Mama. “Little girls are good luck, but what is she doing under your bed?”
“I think she is hungry and looking for something to eat,” he said.
“Well, what do little girls eat?” asked Mama.
“I don’t know,” said Little Unicorn. “I think they eat bugs.”
