Ethan tiptoed along the winding path. His sneakers scuffed the soft dirt.
A shimmering blue butterfly landed right on his nose. Ethan froze, eyes wide. Then he giggled — its wings tickled!
Ethan crouched by the babbling creek and spotted a green frog wearing a tiny lily pad hat.
He poked the water with a stick. The frog blinked slowly, then hopped away with a loud PLOP.
Ethan pushed aside willow branches and found a woven nest with three speckled eggs. "Hello, babies," he whispered.
He touched a twig — the nest felt rough and smelled sweet. A mother bird swooped down, chirping urgently.
Ethan sat on the warm path and watched the mother bird settle back onto her eggs. Village smoke curled into the golden sky.
His mother's voice called his name from the house. Ethan jumped up and started to run.
He burst through the door. Flour on his mom's nose, his dad reading on the couch. "Mama!" he hugged her waist.
Ethan inhaled the warm smell of bread. The kitchen glowed, and he slept soundly that night, dreaming of tiny miracles.