Our stuffed animal snake

On a beautiful spring morning, in a nest well hidden beneath the leaves, Ziggy and his siblings were born. They were all adorable—little baby snakes with grayish-brown scales, perfectly camouflaged. All of them... except Ziggy. Ziggy was multicolored. Ziggy’s mom was very worried. She knew that such bright, flashy skin wouldn’t protect her son from predators. Hawks, those hungry birds of prey, were watching from above the trees. She didn’t want Ziggy to leave the nest—not even with his brothers and sisters. And besides, they hardly ever talked to him and often made fun of his colors. Ziggy felt sad, lonely, and dreamed of being free. One night, while everyone was sleeping, Ziggy made a decision. He slipped out of the nest and began to slither through the cool grass, far away from his family. The next day, he crossed the countryside without ever being attacked. The hawks, confused by his strange colors, thought he might be poisonous. Other animals stayed away too, thinking he looked dangerous or weird. Just like back in the nest, he was all alone and sad. One day, a little boy walking through the countryside came across Ziggy. Instead of being scared, he was amazed. “Whoa! So cool!” he shouted. He gently picked Ziggy up and let him slither from one arm to the other. Ziggy was overjoyed! For the first time, someone cared about him. The little boy took Ziggy home. He built him a beautiful open tank in the backyard, with plants, rocks, and a little pool so he could swim. The whole family fell in love with Ziggy. He was unique, cheerful, and above all, very sweet. Ziggy had finally found what he had always been looking for: a place where he was loved for exactly who he was.