The Lightning Bull's Secret

Leo loved clapping his palms together. *Clap! Clap! Clap!* He did it whenever something wonderful happened. One rainy afternoon, Leo was hiding from a storm under the giant palm tree in his backyard when he spotted something extraordinary.

Between the palm's roots grew bright green spinach leaves, shimmering with a strange glow. Then — CRACK! — a bolt of lightning struck the garden!

But the lightning didn't hit the ground. It bounced off the spinach leaves and spiraled upward, forming the shape of a magnificent bull made of sparkling light! The Lightning Bull lowered its glowing head and nudged Leo's hand with a nose that felt like warm sunshine.

"I'm lost," the Bull rumbled softly, voice like distant thunder. "I fell from the sky during the storm. Can you help me home?"

Leo's palms tingled with excitement. "I have an idea!"

He gathered the magical spinach leaves and arranged them in a spiral pattern, just like the lightning bolt's path. "Stand here," Leo said, positioning the Bull.

Together, Leo clapped his palms while the Lightning Bull stomped its hooves. *Clap! Stomp! Clap! Stomp!* The spinach leaves glowed brighter and brighter, lifting the Bull higher into the air.

"Thank you, little friend!" the Bull called as it ascended, leaving a trail of sparkles. "Remember — true friends always help each other reach new heights!"

The next morning, Leo discovered new spinach growing where the Lightning Bull had stood. And whenever storms came, Leo would clap his palms under the palm tree, knowing somewhere in the sky, a very special friend was watching over him.