The Hero Explorers
Note: We are reaching out to storytellers, parents, and children all over the world to collect stories that bring a little healing and levity to the coronavirus outbreak. We believe families need tools to help children (and parents) deal with the anxiety and cabin fever, not just the virus. Storytelling is a time-tested way to build safety, intimacy, and creativity in the home.
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To be clear - these stories, articles, and resources are intended to help parents guide young children and ease anxiety in the household after the serious work of preparation has been done. They are not intended to make light of the illness. While this and other stories can be shared directly with children, we believe you will find the greatest comfort in crafting stories of your own with the help of your child.
This story comes from Wendy Wallace, who goes by the storytelling name Nana Sparkle. She writes, “My boys, my family, the kids in my Cheer Up Club, the residents in my Locked Down Community, and the staff and I all bless you! We all need stories to share.”
The Hero Explorers
By Nana Sparkle
A certain tribe of boys had the important job of being the hero explorers of their land, spreading light where there was darkness. All the people depended on their protection.
Wisdom connected with the great libraries and professors, and put all that knowledge into scientific equations.
Kindness was the rainbow master. He visited there to counsel the fairies.
Bravery was the builder of love.
Now, it came to pass that a blight was spreading over the land. As it grew darker and darker, the people hid in their houses. It was too hard to tell who was safe!
The mayor sent the searchlight into the sky with the hero signal!
The boys jumped into their matter moving chamber and quantum jumped to the mayor’s office.
“What is it?” asked Wisdom.
“Is it about the Darkness?” asked Kindness.
Bravery stood tall.
“I won’t shake your hands,” said the mayor, “you might have some blight on them. You have noticed the situation. We need your help more than ever before! I am afraid it might be too late!”
“What would you like us to do?” asked Wisdom. He was the leader of the group.
“That’s just it!” the mayor wailed, “No one knows what to do!”
Wisdom put his finger to his chin and thought. He concentrated on the science in the libraries. He concentrated on the professors’ formulae and graphs. “This is a totally new problem,” he said solemnly.
Kindness thought for a moment. He could see the mayor’s great fear that reflected the feelings across the land. “This is the greatest fear we have seen,” he said with a grave expression.
They all looked at Bravery in expectation. “We will find out,” he said cheerfully.
Then the mayor remembered something. “Would you go to the lighthouse at the end of the earth? I am afraid it has been broken! The whole world is relying on you!”
The Heroes were undaunted.
As a famous scientist, Wisdom was famous for his understanding of the power of the universe, from our sun to the tiny atom.
Kindness was known as the wizard, connecting the magical with reality.
Bravery was known as the doctor who healed broken things.
The mayor knew they had the power to overcome any difficulties, because the whole world had seen them handle the hardest of challenges. They certainly were blessings to the entire land!
So, they were sent off with the world’s heartfelt thanks: Wisdom, Kindness, and Bravery.
The heroes packed their backpacks with snacks, water, sunscreen, and cake sprinkles. Wisdom added the power of scientific knowledge in his outside pocket.
Kindness put the power of the rainbow of hope in his pocket. Bravery held the power of the light of love on his shoulder.
Then they kissed their mama and papa goodbye and set off.
And so, the three began their journey, with determination and grit!
Yeek!
They hadn’t gone very far when they came to a mighty mountain, rocky and very, very steep. What were they going to do?
Wisdom stopped to think. His mind was sharp, sharper than any old jagged rocks. The others trusted his knowledge and they smiled. He made a system of ropes and pulleys that pulled them right to the very top!
Whew!
The climb down wasn’t easy, but they soon arrived at the bottom.
They continued on their way. They hadn’t gone very far, when - Oh, no!
There before them was a wide river. It was rushing along so fiercely it was impossible to swim across, even with their powerful skills.
Kindness stopped to think. His mind was broad - broader than any old river! He spoke the gold-splashed language of the fairies to bring the rainbow to arc over the river.
The two others trusted him and smiled, even though you could see right through the rainbow!
Kindness led the way across the River.
Whew!
They landed in a tumble, in the soft grass. They picked themselves up and continued on their way. Soon - oh, no!
They came to a very deep, dark pit! It was so big they couldn’t go around it.
Bravery stopped to think. His mind was bright. Much brighter than any old dark pit! He sent his light down below. He saw what was needed. So, he built an elevator!
The others didn’t quite understand how going down deep would help, but they trusted him and smiled.
They all got inside and it started smoothly going down. Then, Bravery punched some buttons, and they started rising again. Would it take them back to where they began?
The others trusted him, and it rose to the top - and let them out safely from the pit!
Onward they went.
Sometimes the way was smooth, leading them on a patch of soft pine needles. Sometimes the way was rocky. They slipped on the loose stones and fell again and again.
The rocks became smaller until they became small gravel, crunching under their feet. When the path became dirt, they stopped to rest.
Bravery sighed. He was hungry. The others were hungry.
They sat down to rest. In their quiet, they heard a voice.
“Look up!” it said.
So, they did.
Above their heads, a branch was stretching closer and closer.
What did they see? The rare fruit - eeples! They squealed in delight as they picked a pile, and started to munch happily. Very soon, both their hunger and thirst were satisfied.
Content, they picked themselves up and continued on their way. Sometimes it was easy and sometimes it was hard.
Soon, they heard the crashing of waves and smelled the tang of salt air. The ocean! The lighthouse at the end of the earth was near!
They reached the shore and looked around. Oh! There it was, down the beach to the east. It was dark. Wisdom said, “Now, I understand.”
Kindness said, “No wonder the world is filled with fear.”
Bravery said, “We will light it.”
No one said, “It will be too hard.”
So, they walked over to the lighthouse. It was farther than they thought - more than 10 miles! It seemed no matter how much they walked it never got closer.
Wisdom had an idea. “Let’s close our eyes,” he said. “We will keep the sound of the waves to our left.” The others trusted him. Bravery wasn’t quite sure which way left was, so Wisdom and Kindness took one of his hands on each side.
They began to walk again, listening to the surf. Once in a while, a wave rushed over their feet, making them laugh.
Kindness listened to the fairies, and soon they whispered, “Stop, now.” Kindness squeezed his brothers’ hands. They opened their eyes. There, in front of them, stood the lighthouse. It was very tall.
Oh, no! It reached all the way up to the sky!
Wisdom thought, “What could reach 5,280 feet high?”
Kindness thought, “How could magic and reality come together to solve this problem?”
Bravery thought, “How could the light of love heal this distance?”
The three needed to work together this time. They all put their hands together, one over the next, meeting in the middle. Then they threw their arms back and whooshed them over their heads. As they did, they started to rise - Yay!
They saw the broken glass of the lighthouse window. Climbing carefully, they entered through the shattered hole.
Oh, no - there on the floor, lay a silent dove. It had cut its wing.
This was a job for Bravery, the doctor builder. He pulled out some band-aids from his pack, and built a bandage for the bird. Wisdom’s knowledge recognized there was still life. Kindness saw magic and reality coming together.
The dove fluttered its wings and cooed his thanks.
Whew!
The heroes turned their attention to the light. They saw that it was not out, just covered with sand. It had blown in through the broken window!
Oh! They busily started brushing it away from the huge light. Sometimes, they had to boost up to reach the top. Sometimes, they had to squeeze to get around it. And, sometimes it got in their eyes!
After a while, the light got brighter and brighter, till - Aha! It was SO bright, they looked in their backpacks to see if there was anything they could use - and found a surprise. Their papa had included sunglasses! Next to the glasses they found sandwiches packed by their mama!
They had a rest, eating and chattering in relief. They did it! Of course, they were so wise, so kind, so brave, they had never doubted.
Back at the mayor’s office, there was cheering and clapping at the return of the light. Word was sent throughout the land about their heroes’ success.
The mayor sent a helicopter to find the heroes. They were brought home to a parade, showered with mica dust, rainbows, and band-aids!
Soon, they went home with Mama and Papa to rest up for their next adventure.
What could it be?
Announcing The Coronavirus Storytelling Challenge
Schools are closing their doors. Parents are feeling anxious. Social distancing and empty shelves have us gasping for normalcy. We need skills for handling the disease, but we also need tools for managing the anxiety that treads in its footsteps.
That’s why we created The Coronoavirus Storytelling Challenge. As the nation struggles to catch up with the disease, let’s help parents and children connect and calm at home.
PS - We want stories from parents and kids too!
Stories from kids and parents empower others to share at home. That’s the goal! Pass it on.
The Storytelling Loop is a newsletter bringing you tips, science, and real-life examples of how storytelling builds the connection between parent and child. It is a joint project of Silke Rose West and Joseph Sarosy, authors of How to Tell Stories to Children. Originally published in August of 2019, a new edition is due out from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in 2021. You can find more from Joseph Sarosy at Fatherly. Are you involved in storytelling? Join Us.