Barnaby the badger was a terrible hoarder. His burrow was overflowing with shiny pebbles, smooth twigs, and colorful feathers. He even had a collection of lost buttons! While other badgers spent their days playing hide-and-seek amongst the trees, Barnaby spent his collecting. He couldn’t bear the thought of leaving anything behind, even if he didn’t need it.

One sunny afternoon, Pip the squirrel tripped and fell, scattering a basket full of juicy berries she’d picked for her family. The berries rolled everywhere! Pip started to cry, overwhelmed by the task of collecting them all before they got squished or carried away by ants.

Barnaby, who’d seen the whole thing from his cluttered doorway, almost ignored her. He had a new collection of acorns he was organizing! But something made him stop. He saw Pip’s tears and remembered how sad he felt when he lost his favorite shiny pebble once.

He lumbered out of his burrow, pushing aside piles of twigs and leaves. “Don’t worry, Pip!” he boomed. He used his big paws and long claws to gently scoop up the berries, much faster than Pip could on her own. Soon, her basket was full again.

Pip was so grateful! “Thank you, Barnaby!” she chirped. She offered him some of her berries, but he shook his head. Helping her felt much better than adding to his collections.

From that day on, Barnaby became known not for his hoarding, but for his helpfulness. He realized the joy of giving and sharing was far greater than the joy of collecting and keeping things to himself. He even started giving away some of his treasures, making other animals very happy.