An illustration of a lion resting under a large oak tree, a turtle by a lake, two people in a boat, and crows in the branches.

There once were two black birds, Cinder and Ash, who moved into a large, old oak tree far from their old home. As they settled in, Cinder advised Ash, “Go and make some friends, Ash, since we will be here for a while.” After their nest was built, Ash set off. He first met a turtle named Pebble by the lake. "Hello turtle, may I know your name?" Ash asked. Pebble agreed to be his friend. Next, Ash found a lion named Aslan, who also agreed to be friends. Finally, Ash met a crow named Caw, who excitedly said, "Yes please, I haven't had that many friends before!" Tired, Ash returned to the tree. Then the sound of deafening axes chopping woke both of them up.. Two people were chopping down their tree! Ash called his friends for help. The crow shouted at the humans, but they shooed him away. Pebble emerged from the water, and the humans tried to pull him with a rope. Pebble, however, was so strong he pulled them into the lake. They cut the rope and ran. Then, Aslan appeared, letting out a mighty roar. The humans dropped their axes and fled in terror. Aslan looked at Ash and simply winked before disappearing. The tree was safe. So that is why the moral of this fable is that building friendships makes a home safe. See more