A Forest Without Rest

Deep in the heart of the Great Forest, where the trees whispered secrets to the wind and the rivers sang songs to the sky, all creatures lived in harmony. The deer leaped through the meadows, the foxes curled up in cozy dens, and the birds built their nests high among the branches.

But one day, a stranger arrived—one who did not walk on paws or wings, but on two long legs. The human, known only as The Warden, wore a green coat and spoke with great authority.

"This forest must be protected!" The Warden declared. "The animals are ruining it with their wandering and their careless sleeping! From now on, no creature may rest unless they have a proper home—a den, a burrow, or a nest in the trees. Anyone caught sleeping where they don’t belong will be taken away!"

The animals gasped in confusion. "The forest belongs to all of us," murmured the rabbits. "Why should we be punished for sleeping beneath the sky?"

"Because you are harming the balance of nature!" The Warden insisted. "The forest is delicate, and wild animals lying about in the open will only bring destruction. If you cannot follow the rules, you will be placed somewhere safe—somewhere controlled."

And with that, The Warden set to work, building cages and fences at the edge of the forest, ready to trap those who did not obey.

A Squirrel Without a Tree

That evening, a little squirrel named Riffle searched for a place to rest. His favorite tree had fallen in a storm, and he had no home to return to.

"I will sleep beneath the old oak tonight," he decided, curling up under the mighty tree’s roots. But just as he closed his eyes, The Warden appeared, holding a long net.

"You cannot sleep here!" The Warden scolded. "Squirrels belong in trees, not on the ground. You are disrupting the order of nature!"

"But my tree is gone," said Riffle. "The Great Creator made the whole forest. Can I not rest beneath the stars?"

"No! You must find a proper home, or I will take you somewhere you can be monitored!" The Warden snapped.

Before Riffle could run, the net fell over him, and he was carried away to a strange, crowded place—a zoo, where people gawked at him from behind glass.

The Birds Without Nests

The next morning, the birds gathered in distress. A great storm had knocked their nests from the trees, and they had no place to sleep.

"We will rest on the branches until we can rebuild," chirped the sparrow.

But before they could settle, The Warden arrived, pointing an accusing finger.

"No sleeping in the open! Birds must sleep in nests, or they are not real birds!"

"But the wind took our homes!" cried the birds.

"Then you should have built stronger ones!" The Warden replied. And with that, cages were thrown over them, and they were taken away to a place called a "sanctuary," where humans would decide when and how they could rest.

A War Against the Wanderers

Soon, every creature in the forest lived in fear. The rabbits could not sleep in the meadows, the deer could not rest in the thickets, and even the old tortoise—who had carried his home on his back for a hundred years—was told that he did not belong.

"Where will we go?" the animals whispered.

"Why must we be punished for seeking rest?"

But The Warden only shook their head. "This is for your own good! If you cannot fit into the rules, you must be removed for the sake of the forest!"

The Savior Arrives

One evening, as the moon watched from above, a new voice echoed through the trees. It was strong yet gentle, powerful yet kind. The creatures turned to see a figure stepping into the clearing—The Savior, sent by the Great Creator.

The Savior was not like The Warden. They did not wear a stiff coat, nor did they carry nets and cages. Their hands were open, and their eyes were full of wisdom.

"Why do you fear, my friends?" The Savior asked.

"The Warden has taken our right to rest," Yaya the Great Owl replied. "We can no longer sleep in our own forest."

The Savior smiled. "Do not fear those who claim the earth as their own. The Great Creator has never abandoned you."

The Savior lifted their hands in prayer, and the animals bowed their heads. Together, they called upon the Great Creator, asking for justice, for mercy, and for the truth to be restored.

The Great Reckoning

Soon, strange things began to happen.

The Warden, who had spent so many years enforcing the false law, grew weary and weak. They could no longer walk the forest paths, and sickness crept into their bones. No doctors could heal them, for their illness was not of the body but of the soul—they had stood against the Great Creator’s will for too long.

Finally, The Warden could fight no more. They left the forest and went to a great stone building called a hospital, where they would spend the rest of their days, far from the trees they had once controlled.

But the miracles did not end there.

That very night, the wind howled, and the sky rumbled with the voice of the Great Creator. A mighty storm swept through the land, shaking the very ground. Rain poured, lightning flashed, and when morning came, the animals saw what had happened—

The cages were gone.

The storm had shattered the metal bars, torn down the fences, and wiped away every trace of The Warden’s rule. The imprisoned creatures were free once more, their spirits unchained.

Heaven on Earth Restored

The animals rejoiced, for the true law of the Great Creator had been restored.

The deer leaped in the meadows without fear.

The birds built their nests without worry.

The rabbits slept beneath the sky, knowing they were safe at last.

And the Savior stood among them, watching with joy. "This is how it was always meant to be," they said. "The earth was never meant to be divided by cages and laws of control. The Great Creator’s law is simple: to live, to rest, and to trust in the provision given to all."

From that day forward, no creature feared to lay its head upon the earth. The Great Creator’s justice had prevailed, and the Great Forest was a place of peace once more—a Heaven on Earth, where all who dwelled in it knew the true meaning of rest.