Once-upon-a-time, there was the most beautiful garden, planted with all manner of flowers and bushes and trees. There was a little stream that flowed into a little pond, and everything could be seen from the little hill that overlooked it all.
In the garden there lived a little snail. Now the snail was sad because he could not find a place to live. He simply couldn’t find anywhere to call “home.”
He once thought the grass would be nice, but the grasshoppers jumped around too much. He had looked among the flowers, but there wasn’t enough room with all the butterflies around. He tried the trees, but the birds had already built their nests upon the branches. He’d even asked the fish if he could live in the pond, but they told him it was their home and anyway, they didn’t think he could swim. So the snail felt very alone, and had nowhere to live.
Then one day, as the Gardener was walking along the path, he came across the snail, who was looking particularly sad that day. “What’s the matter, my little friend?” the Gardener asked.
“It’s so terrible. I can’t find anywhere in the garden to call my home,” sobbed the snail.
“Oh snail,” beamed the Gardener, “You don’t need a place to live, for you have everything you need as you are.”
“I do?” asked the snail in bewilderment.
“Of course,” explained the Gardener. “You are special because you carry your home with you wherever you go. Take a look!”
“I do!” exclaimed the snail, as he looked to where the Gardener was pointing. There on his back was his swirly, shiny shell. Then the snail realised he could go anywhere he wanted and still always be at home. So off he went to explore the garden with his new home, albeit at a snail’s pace!
