The Little Jerboa

In a vast, sandy desert where the wind hums softly, a small jerboa lives by himself. With sandy beige fur, long hind legs for hopping and large upright ears that catch every whisper of the sand, he keeps a tiny woven grass satchel holding a few seeds and a smooth pebble. Each night he calls out across the dunes, but only the wind replies, and he feels the weight of his loneliness.

One cool, starry night a rustle near a prickly cactus leads him to Spike, a desert hedgehog in a tiny blue scarf, and the two become friends. Together they set off across the dunes, meeting a swirling wind, long shadows like giant fingers and a rocky hill that Spike's short legs cannot climb, until the jerboa's keen ears catch a promising sound. Written by Aysel Banu YAVUZAL, this gentle tale can be read on Masal İzle, where young children will enjoy the desert setting and the simple lesson that friendship and teamwork help us face fear.