Amethyst Learning-Resilience

In a parched savanna, a rhinoceros called Stone was wondering about the meaning of life – all he ever did was eat grass, defend his family and sleep. The scorching sun was shining bright into the savannah and most rhinos were sunbathing, however Stone was sitting under the tree as he didn’t like being warm. Suddenly, a vulture swooped in front of him. Stone stared at it impressed and he exclaimed in awe, “I want to be able to fly!” Stone stood up and tried and tried and tried again but still failed! All of his friends started laughing at him even though his family told him he would never be able be able to fly and that he was just wasting his time.

“Ha ha ha! Look at Stone! He wants to be able to fly”. His friends sniggered to each other and started avoiding Stone. Even though no one believed in him he kept on trying through each day and night. Stone decided to prove the other rhinos wrong, aiming for the sky and his beliefs, and everyone thought he was going crazy. His parents even suggested that he took some medicine or that he went to the doctors with them! With all his anger he charged at a tree, his horn glistening in the moonlight.

All of a sudden, an apple fell on Stones head. “Ow” screamed Stone. “Why’d you do that Tree! Luckily his friends were all asleep so no one chuckled at him. Stone took this to his advantage and practised trying to fly. He put all of his energy (which wasn’t a lot, since it was night) into it. He would prove them wrong and he tried again and again.

Finally, Stone experienced a fail in gravity, he jumped with all of his power, embracing that he might never be able to fly, but he might as well try. Stone screamed in excitement, longing to show everyone his new trick. “Oh my – wow. Come here”. He shouted smiling like crazy. His family rushed to him in their pyjamas, staring at him like he was crazy for waking them up at 5am. Once they had found out what he had done, they woke everyone up. His friends apologised to him as well as his bully. Rhino asked to be friends, pretending that he had never even bullied him in the first place.

“Do you want to be friends?” Rhino asked in a sweet voice. Stone stared at him suspiciously. ‘’I thought you didn’t like me?’’ said Stone cautiously. ‘’Im sorry Stone I was jealous.’’ Rhino said with his head down. ‘’How did you do that trick?’’  

Stone replied saying ‘’I tried, and even when everyone told me I was just wasting my time, I kept going on!’’ Rhino knew he wanted to be friends and said the words quietly. “Friends?”

‘’Friends. Yes of course’’ said Stone.  Stone suddenly spotted a violet amethyst appearing in a flash in front of him and he scooped up the amethyst with his horn.

In a bright flash of light stone stood up in amazement. He was a human! He had kept his horn as something to remember what he had done to show that he had resilience. Rhino gazed at him in awe. ‘’Wow!’’

‘’I want to teach people resilience! ‘’Stone announced!’’ Do you know where?’

Rhino looked at him cheerfully. ‘’I know just where you can go start. It’s a wonderful school in Didcot called Willowcroft!’’

Written by Zoia in Year 6