In a sunny meadow, where daisies danced and butterflies flitted about, lived a bear named Benny who was known far and wide for his round little belly and kind heart. One beautiful spring day, when the sun was shining just right, Benny’s best friend Lucy came over with a surprise.
“Benny! I have something for you!” squealed Lucy excitedly. She held out her hands, and much to Benny’s delight, there were five colorful balloons, each one brighter than a flower in bloom.
“Oh, Lucy! Thank you!” Benny said, his eyes twinkling. The two friends immediately went to show the balloons to all their other friends.
Everyone ooh-ed and aah-ed at the bright colors. Benny’s favorite was the red one, which he wrapped around his paw with pride. While playing, however, a strong gust of wind came rushing through the meadow. Before Benny could say “Bear,” the balloon slipped from his paw and began to float away!
“My balloon!” shouted Benny, reaching out, but it was high up in the sky now.
“It floated away! We’ll help you get it back. Come on!” Lucy said, and off they all went, following the balloon as it danced on the breeze.
On the way, they met a wise old owl. “Whoo, whoo, what’s the hurry?” hooted the owl.
“My balloon is floating away, and I need to catch it!” Benny explained, pointing upward.
“Hoot! Hoot! Look over there toward the mountains; follow the river, and you will find your friends,” said the owl, flapping her wings and pointing with her beak.
Benny, Lucy, and their friends then hurried toward the mountains where they soon found Benny’s cousin Marcel, who was trying to catch fish with his paws. “Benny! What are you doing here?” he asked, surprised.
“My balloon floated away, and I followed it here! Have you seen it?” Benny replied, panting.
“I think it flew over the top of that mountain,” Marcel said, motioning with his paw. Benny and his friends, now a happy procession, hastened to where Marcel pointed. Before long, they came to a bunny-nibbled meadow, where all the animals from their part of the forest were gathered, gazing upward.
“My balloon!” shouted Benny with glee when he saw it bobbing up and down among the curious animals.
“Let us help you!” squeaked an excited little voice. It was Toby the squirrel, eager to help his friend in any way he could.
The animals all began to shout, “Balloon! Balloon!” But the balloon continued to float higher and higher. So they tried clapping their paws and hooves together while others stomped on the ground. Soon, hundreds of feet were thudding up and down, which shook the very roots of the trees.
Benny’s balloon began to tremble. “I think we are going to get it down!” he cried. With one last loud cheer, all the animals of the forest waved their paws and hooves in the air. Benny’s balloon started to float slowly, slowly down, down, and at last found a snug resting-place on the kind little bear’s round belly.
Benny was so happy that he hugged everyone around him. “Thank you all for helping me!” he cried, and after saying goodbye to all his friends, he started home toward the sunny meadow, a very happy bear with a very happy stuffed tummy.