The Golden Cactus

In a hot, sandy desert, a little orange lizard named Leo comes across a small green cactus tucked behind a rock. The cactus is shy and silent, with tiny dark eyes and a little bud on top, and Leo chooses to look after it. He finds a gentle spot for it, keeps bugs away, cleans its spines, and speaks to it each day, promising that one day it will bloom. The two become best friends in the wide, empty desert.

When the dry season comes, the sun grows hotter and the sand burns Leo's toes. The cactus looks thirsty and wrinkled, so Leo searches for water, carrying drops in his mouth and digging a hole to catch morning dew. The beetles and ants say the cactus will never bloom, but Leo keeps working and waiting. A ladybug joins him, and soon the beetles and ants help too. This gentle tale by Yavuz DEMİRKIRAN, which can be read on Online Masal, follows Leo through the long dry season as he protects his friend and holds on to hope.