The Color of Kindness

“Kindness,” Princess Mackenna announced to Buzzy the bee one day, “is one of my favorite words.”  She had found Buzzy resting on the soft petal of a yellow flower near the pond in Kindly Kingdom.  After a bit more thought she added: “I also like happiness and greatness.  But kindness is best.”

Gentle, the small dog stood beside her, wagging his tail.

“I like this yellow flower and honey,” Buzzy said.  “Yellow is my favorite color.  What color is kindness?”

“It’s not a color,” Princess Mackenna replied.  “Kindness is something else.”

“What sort of something else?” asked Buzzy the bee.   He zizzed his wings a little as he sat on the flower.  He pondered for a moment.  “Is kindness a sort of bird?”

“No,” said the little Princess.  She thought for a moment.  “Kindness is…a sort of something inside you.” 

Buzzy got very excited.   He rubbed his belly with three of his six legs.  “Like a stomach.  Kindness is a stomach inside me filled with sweet honey!  So, that is kindness?”

“No, not a stomach,” said Princess Mackenna.  “I don’t think you understand yet.  Maybe I can show you.  Follow me.”

Princess Mackenna started walking along the pond.  She hoped to find just the right thing to show Buzzy the bee what Kindness was.

Kindness was not a color and not a bird and definitely not a stomach.

Buzzy zizzed up into the air and flew along beside the little Princess.  He zig-zagged as he flew.  Gentle the dog ran back and forth and up and down and every other which-way a dog can run.  His tall wagged the whole time.

Soon, Gentle came upon a turtle on its back.  He barked a squeaky little bark.  When Princess Mackenna and Buzzy the bee looked to see why Gentle barked, they saw the turtle turned upside-down on his shell.

The turtle was moving his stubby legs in all directions in the air.  He could not turn himself over.  He could not move.  

Princess Makenna walked close to the turtle.  Buzzy landed on a green blade of grass nearby. The turtle lifted his head as best he could and spoke.  “I’m Frank the turtle,” he said, “and I’m in a fix here.  I was walking along…maybe going a bit too fast…and I stumbled…and…and here I am.”

“You are on your back,” said the little Princess.

“Yes,” said Frank the turtle.  “I’m on my back and my feet no longer reach the ground.”

Buzzy studied the turtle closely.  He began to speculate.  “I see the problem clearly,” he said. “Frank has no legs on his back.  All of his legs and feet are on his front.  And his front is up when it is supposed to be down.  And his back is down when it is supposed to be up.”  He zizzed his wings.  “That’s the problem.  We need to put legs on his back!” he concluded.

“Putting legs on his back would work,” agreed Princess Mackenna, “but there is another way.”  She reached down, picked up the turtle and turned him so he was leg-side-down and shell-side-up.

“Oh, my!” said Frank the turtle.  “I feel so much better.  I can walk again.” He took two slow steps to test his legs.  “I don’t know how I can thank you enough for your kindness!”

Gentle ran this way and up and sideways and down, all around them.

Buzzy zizzed up into the air, flew a circle around the turtle and then landed on the blade of grass again.  “I see it now!” Buzzy said.  “Kindness is not a bird, or color, or something yummy to eat.  Kindness is turning over upside-down turtles!”

“Yes,” said Princess Mackenna.  “And doing other nice things, too.”

Gentle finally stopped running about.  He came and sat near Princess Mackenna and Buzzy.  His tail wagged in the grass.

“I thank you again,” said Frank the upside-up turtle.  “And I would love stay here chatting, but I’ve places to go.  Goodbye to all of you.”  The turtle slowly bumped away, his heavy shell clunking against the ground every so often.  “I must hurry along now!”

Buzzy zizzed his wings.

Mackenna waved goodbye with both hands.

Gentle wagged his tail.

Frank the turtle clunked away fast as he could, which was very slow.

-- Mitchell Hegman