The Thankful Thistle Patch

Rilla the Rabbit thought she harvested success all by herself — until the cold winds showed her otherwise. In a forest where every seed, every rain, and every kindness matters, gratitude grows deeper than pride. A lively tale of bold boasts, winter lessons, and the warm roots of thankfulness.

The Thankful Thistle Patch

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By Ross Boulton © 2025

In a sunny small hollow where wild thistles grew,

Lived Rilla the Rabbit with ideas bold and new.

"I found the best berries!" she boasted with glee,

"And I did it alone — not a critter but me!"

She twirled through the meadow, she thumped her big feet,

She piled purple berries in stacks nice and neat.

While old Chip the Chipmunk and soft Lanna the Loon,

Just smiled at each other beneath the warm moon.

But seasons kept spinning, and winter came fast,

With frost at the door and a snow-swallow blast.

The berry bush shriveled, the thistles turned brown —

No food for proud Rilla, not a crumb to be found.

She shivered and stumbled back into the glen,

Where Chip and old Lanna sat brewing again.

They waved her inside with a smile and a cheer,

And handed her roots and a hot mug of deer-ear.

"Here’s seeds that you planted without knowing, young one,"

Said Chip with a chuckle and pat on her bun.

"We shared your good soil, we guided the rain,

We helped your small patch bloom again and again."

Rilla’s ears drooped. Her nose gave a twitch.

She bowed so deep she nearly fell in a ditch!

"I thought I grew berries by proud paws alone —

But thankful hearts make a harvest their home."

And from that day onward, in hollows and fields,

Every harvest was sweeter when shared in the yields.

💡 Did You Know?

In the real world, farmers, inventors, and explorers often stand on the shoulders of many helpers — family, friends, teachers, and nature itself! Gratitude isn’t just polite — it’s what makes every success richer, sturdier, and more beautiful. Even the strongest tree began with a tiny seed and a whole forest helping it grow.

What Moral do you like best?

• A thankful heart helps every garden grow.
• We bloom best when we help each other.
• Behind every big success, quiet kindness grows.

✍️ Why I Wrote This

I wrote this fable to show young readers that even our proudest achievements often have quiet helpers—friends, family, and unseen forces working beside us. Rilla the Rabbit, bold and self-assured, believes she succeeded alone. But when hard times come, she learns that real abundance grows from shared effort and thankful hearts.

This story is part of my Virtue Series on Gratitude, reminding us that it’s not just about saying thanks—it’s about seeing the roots of kindness beneath our success and passing it on.