A Plain Little Bug

Once, there was a little ladybug who wasn’t red. She wasn’t spotted. She wasn’t even a little bit shiny. She was just... gray.

She sat on a leaf, watching butterflies twirl like tiny dancers. Bees zipped past, all fuzzy and golden. Even the flowers swayed in their bright, fancy colors. The little ladybug sighed.

“I look like an old pebble,” she mumbled.

She tried rolling in flower petals. No luck. She tried wiggling in the grass. Still gray.

Then she had an idea! She looked up at the sky. The great golden Sun beamed down, warm and bright.

“Sun,” she called, “can you make me beautiful?”

The Sun blinked. “Beautiful? But you already are!”

The ladybug giggled. “You’re very kind. But I’d like a little more... sparkle.”

The Sun thought for a moment. Then it smiled. “Alright, little one. Let’s see what we can do!”