The Sphinx Who Loved Baseball

Emma loved her crazy curly hair. It bounced when she ran and sparkled in the sun. Every day, she wore her favorite baseball cap to keep her curls out of her eyes while playing catch with her dad.

One afternoon, Emma's baseball rolled over the hill behind her house. She chased after it and suddenly stopped. In a clearing stood an enormous stone sphinx with the head of a lion and the body of a eagle! His eyes glowed golden as he looked down at her.

'You found my favorite toy!' the sphinx rumbled happily. He pointed a giant claw at Emma's baseball. 'I've watched you play for weeks. It looks like such fun!'

Emma was amazed. 'You like baseball?'

The sphinx nodded solemnly. 'For three thousand years, I've guarded this hill. Not once has anyone invited me to play.' He looked so sad that Emma's heart felt funny.

'Want to learn?' Emma asked. For the next hour, she taught the ancient sphinx how to throw and catch. His huge paws were gentle, and he laughed when he accidentally tossed the ball into a cloud.

'Thank you, Emma,' the sphinx said, his eyes shining. 'You didn't see a scary monster. You saw a friend who just wanted to play.'

Emma smiled and patted his stone nose. 'That's what baseball is all about—making friends and having fun together.'

Every day after school, Emma returned to play baseball with her sphinx friend. She even let him wear her baseball cap sometimes. And that's how Emma learned that the best friends can be the most unexpected ones—especially if you look past appearances and lead with your heart.