The Orange Bull's Magic Gift

Lily hated the first day at a new school. Her stomach did flip-flops as she looked in the mirror, smoothing down her frizzy brown hair for the tenth time.

"I wish I could just stay home," she whispered.

Suddenly, something tumbled out of her backpack—a bright orange creature no bigger than a teacup. It had tiny horns and the fluffiest orange fur she'd ever seen.

"I'm Barnaby!" the little bull announced. "And you're worried about making friends."

Lily gasped. "You can talk?"

"Can't everyone?" Barnaby trotted across her dresser, his hooves clicking softly. "I'm what you might call a worry-bull. I show up when someone needs extra courage."

He dug into his tiny pouch and pulled out something sparkly and yellow. "Here—a special vitamin for your heart."

"A vitamin?" Lily giggled. "For my heart?"

"Not the one that goes thump-thump," Barnaby winked. "This one's for the heart that feels scared. It's called Vitamin B-Brave."

Lily held up the golden crystal. It shimmered like captured sunshine. "What do I do with it?"

"Just believe you're brave," Barnaby said. "The vitamin is already inside you. This is just to remind you."

Lily closed her hand around the crystal. Something warm spread through her fingers. When she opened her hand again, the crystal had dissolved into golden sparkles that floated into her chest.

"Wow," she breathed.

"Go get 'em, tiger," Barnaby said, puffing out his orange chest. "Or should I say, go get 'em, bull?"

Lily laughed, and for the first time all morning, her flip-flopping stomach settled. She grabbed her backpack and headed for the door.

"Wait!" Barnaby called. "You forgot something!" He nudged something toward her—a tiny orange marble. "Keep this. Whenever you feel scared, just hold it and remember: you're braver than you think."

Lily tucked the marble into her pocket and stepped onto the bus, her head held high. She didn't know it yet, but by lunchtime, she'd be sitting with three new friends, showing them her lucky orange marble and telling them all about the magical bull who lived in her backpack.

Some days, she still felt nervous. But then she'd touch the marble in her pocket and remember Barnaby's secret: bravery isn't about not being scared. It's about being scared and doing something brave anyway.