![]() |
| Foto:Nailong |
VISTORBELITUNG.COM,In the vibrant, sun-drenched valley of Chroma Creek, where the rivers flowed with shimmering water and the flowers bloomed in every color of the rainbow, lived a dinosaur named Nailong. Nailong wasn't just any dinosaur; he was a brilliant, sunshine-yellow Longneck, whose cheerful color matched his usually happy personality.
Nailong loved many things. He loved munching on crispy purple ferns, snacking on sweet red berries, and his absolute favorite were the fluffy yellow cloud-fruits that grew on the highest trees. But there was one thing in Chroma Creek that Nailong did not love. In fact, he dreaded it. It was the Great Green Spinach.
The spinach in Chroma Creek wasn't ordinary. It was a dazzling, deep emerald green, packed with more vitamins and energy than any other plant. All the other dinosaurs—the blue Triceratops, the red Pterodactyls, even his best friend, a green Stegosaurus named Spike—would gobble it up with joyous roars.
But to Nailong, the spinach was a problem.
"It's too... green!" he would complain to his mother. "And it feels squishy on my teeth. And it has a funny, earthy smell."
His mother, a wise and patient yellow dinosaur, would gently say, "Nailong, my dear, spinach gives you strong bones and a long, powerful neck. Just try a little bite."
Nailong would scrunch up his nose, shake his head, and use his long neck to look anywhere but at the plate of green leaves. He would hide it under a bush, or secretly share it with Spike, who was always happy to have an extra portion.
One day, the annual Great Valley Games were announced. There would be a leaf-munching race, a tree-top reaching contest, and a tail-swishing strength test. Nailong was very excited. He was sure he would win the tree-top reaching contest with his magnificent long neck.
The day of the games arrived. Nailong did well in the first few rounds, but when it came to the final stretch of the tree-top contest, he felt unusually tired. His neck felt wobbly, and his energy was fading fast. A smaller, but much sprightlier dinosaur won the race.
Nailong was heartbroken. He sat by the sparkling creek, his yellow color seeming a little dull.
Spike came over, his plates rattling with concern. "What's wrong, Nailong? You're usually so strong."
"I don't know, Spike," Nailong sighed. "I just didn't have any energy."
Spike thought for a moment. "Did you eat your spinach this morning? My mom says it's 'dino-fuel'!"
Nailong looked down, feeling a little ashamed. "No," he admitted. "I gave it to you."
Suddenly, it all made sense. Spike explained how the green spinach wasn't just food; it was power. It was what gave the dinosaurs the stamina to play all day and the strength to grow big and strong.
Nailong decided to be brave. That evening, when his mother brought him a plate of the vibrant green spinach, he didn't look away. He took a deep breath, picked up a single leaf with his teeth, and took a small, cautious bite.
It was still a little squishy. It still tasted very green. But as he chewed, he didn't think about the taste. He thought about having strong bones for the games, and endless energy to play with his friends.
The next day, Nailong felt a difference. He woke up feeling brighter and more energetic than ever. He challenged Spike to a race and won! He reached the very highest cloud-fruit without feeling a single wobble in his neck.
Nailong had learned a valuable lesson. He realized that sometimes, the things that are best for us don't always look or taste the most exciting. He didn't have to love spinach, but he learned to appreciate it for the power it gave him.
And so, the brilliant yellow dinosaur of Chroma Creek continued to enjoy his purple ferns, red berries, and fluffy yellow cloud-fruits. But now, right beside them on his plate, was a little pile of powerful green spinach. After all, even a sunshine-yellow dinosaur needs his dino-fuel
