The Forest Book They Tried to Bury

They banned the book—but not the truth inside it.

In a nook of the forest, under a vine-covered shelf,

Sat a book that refused to behave like itself.

It whispered of questions and glowed with strange light—

A book full of thoughts that might just be right.

Young Lantern the Beetle was drawn to its gleam,

For inside were dreams that could question a dream.

“What if we all mattered?” the Book softly said.

“What if rules should be kind, not just followed with dread?”

But Grizzle the Badger—so puffed-up and loud—

Declared, “Books like this should not be allowed!

It stirs up young minds, it won’t stick to the script!

It teaches that truth can’t be tied up or whipped!”

He slammed it shut fast with a “BANNED!” on the spine,

Then buried it deep ‘neath the roots of a pine.

“No more of this nonsense,” he barked to the trees,

“Books that ask questions spread dangerous disease!”

But Lantern, not frightened, lit up with a glow,

And whispered to others, “There’s more you should know.”

With Owliver’s help and a shovel and song,

They dug up the book that had waited so long.

Its pages were tattered, but wisdom was bright—

It shimmered with stories too strong for the night.

And creatures came near, not with fear but delight,

For truth has a way of outshining the fight.

Grizzle returned, now red-faced and perturbed,

To see tales being read that were once deemed “disturbed.”

He bellowed, “These thoughts should not ever be aired!”

But the crowd only blinked—then politely declared:

“We’ve read it ourselves, and we’re doing just fine.

Your fear doesn’t fit with this forest of mine.”

Owliver smiled, “When you ban every page,

You only prove books are the power you cage.”

So Lantern stood tall on a stump with the book,

And read it aloud in a wild, glowing nook.

For even the smallest who dare to seek light

Can carry the stories that wrong tried to write.

✏️ Moral of the Fable:

Banning a book won't bury its spark—

truth finds a way to glow in the dark.

📌 Why I Wrote This

I wrote this fable to explain why banned books matter—not because they’re dangerous, but because they’re powerful. This story is a reminder that when fear tries to silence ideas, it often proves how important those ideas truly are. In a world where banning books is rising again, children deserve stories that help them ask, “Why?”—and realize that curiosity is not a crime.