The Story of Ferdinand
Gentle bull Ferdinand loves peace and flowers, teaching that it’s best to be yourself.
Once upon a time, in a sunny field full of bright flowers, lived a little bull named Ferdinand. Ferdinand was not like the other young bulls who liked to run and jump, butting heads and racing around. He was a gentle bull who loved to sit quietly in the shade of his favorite tree and smell the pretty flowers all day long. Ferdinand watched the butterflies flutter by and listened to the hum of busy bees, feeling happy and peaceful.
Ferdinand’s mother saw him sitting alone and sometimes wondered if he wished to play with the other bulls. “Don’t you want to run and play?” she asked. Ferdinand would smile and shake his head kindly. “I just like being here where it’s calm and the flowers smell so nice,” he said. His mother understood and let him be, because she knew he was happiest just being himself.
As Ferdinand grew, he became big and strong, but he still liked to sit quietly under his tree. The other bulls kept playing rough games, but Ferdinand was content to rest and dream about flowers and sunny days.
One day, a group of men in funny hats came to the field. They wanted to choose the biggest, roughest bull for a big show in the city. All the bulls jumped and kicked, trying to show off. But Ferdinand was not interested. He stayed at his tree, sniffing some pretty yellow flowers.
Suddenly, Ferdinand sat on a little bee hiding in the grass. Buzz! The bee stung him on his bottom! Ferdinand jumped up and ran around, kicking his legs and making a funny face. The men saw this and thought Ferdinand must be the wildest bull of all! “Let’s take him to the city!” they cheered.
Ferdinand was taken to a busy place with bright colors and noisy people. He saw many flowers, especially in the hats the ladies wore! When it was time for Ferdinand to run and show how strong and wild he was, he did something very different—he sat down in the middle of the big ring and sniffed all the sweet flowers that he could see! Everyone was surprised and, instead of being upset, they started to smile and laugh.
Since Ferdinand didn’t want to run or fight, the people let him go home. He was glad to return to his beloved field and happy tree, where he lived peacefully, smelling flowers every day.
It’s always wonderful to be yourself and love what makes you happy.
Ferdinand’s mother saw him sitting alone and sometimes wondered if he wished to play with the other bulls. “Don’t you want to run and play?” she asked. Ferdinand would smile and shake his head kindly. “I just like being here where it’s calm and the flowers smell so nice,” he said. His mother understood and let him be, because she knew he was happiest just being himself.
As Ferdinand grew, he became big and strong, but he still liked to sit quietly under his tree. The other bulls kept playing rough games, but Ferdinand was content to rest and dream about flowers and sunny days.
One day, a group of men in funny hats came to the field. They wanted to choose the biggest, roughest bull for a big show in the city. All the bulls jumped and kicked, trying to show off. But Ferdinand was not interested. He stayed at his tree, sniffing some pretty yellow flowers.
Suddenly, Ferdinand sat on a little bee hiding in the grass. Buzz! The bee stung him on his bottom! Ferdinand jumped up and ran around, kicking his legs and making a funny face. The men saw this and thought Ferdinand must be the wildest bull of all! “Let’s take him to the city!” they cheered.
Ferdinand was taken to a busy place with bright colors and noisy people. He saw many flowers, especially in the hats the ladies wore! When it was time for Ferdinand to run and show how strong and wild he was, he did something very different—he sat down in the middle of the big ring and sniffed all the sweet flowers that he could see! Everyone was surprised and, instead of being upset, they started to smile and laugh.
Since Ferdinand didn’t want to run or fight, the people let him go home. He was glad to return to his beloved field and happy tree, where he lived peacefully, smelling flowers every day.
It’s always wonderful to be yourself and love what makes you happy.
