This is my version of a great book by Claude Steiner that is unfortunately out of print. I would highly recommend it.
I first heard about it in a training session for the Humberside PSHE trainers for which I was fortunate enough to have been selected.
At the time I did not know it was based on this great story by Claude Steiner. The story is available on line in PDF form. http://democracy.mkolar.org/warmfuzzytale/warmfuzzy2.html
Have a read. You’ll love it!
Warm Fuzzies – a Fairy Story.
Once upon a time there was a little land far far away where a community of people lived very happily. They had been blessed by having a wise wizard who provided each one of them at birth with a bag they always carried around with them. The bag contained little orange glowing furry creatures called Warm Fuzzies.
Whenever people met they would ask to have a Warm Fuzzy, and they were always freely given. Just holding a Warm Fuzzy sent a feeling of joy and well-being through a person. The Warm Fuzzy would melt yinto your heart and fill you with love. People enjoyed meeting and exchanging their Warm Fuzzies.
If people did not regularly get to hold a Warm Fuzzy they grew sick, withered away and died. So everyone made sure that they all were given enough Warm Fuzzies to make them happy and healthy.
The people in the land were always happy and joyful. Life was good. The Warm Fuzzies gave them energy, confidence, love and everything they wanted.
Then one day the wise wizard was called away. But life went on much as before. The people went about their business and prospered. It was the most joyful land in the whole world. The Warm Fuzzies provided everything they needed.
Then one day a wizard came in from a land outside the pleasant valley. He too carried a bag with him but his bag was full of spiky blue creatures called Cold Pricklies.
The Cold Pricklies stopped people getting sick, withering away and dying, but did not make them feel good. Indeed, they made people feel gloomy and miserable.
The wicked wizard watched the people going about their business and he was not happy. He felt they did not deserve their joy. They had not earnt it. He did not like the Warm Fuzzies.
The wicked wizard, for that’s what he was, set about establishing himself in the community. He never missed an opportunity to upset or disrupt.
He slyly started with the children.
‘There are only so many Warm Fuzzies,’ he told the children. ‘If you give all your Warm Fuzzies away you won’t have enough for yourself. You might wither and die.’
The children became very worried. They had thought they had an inexhaustible supply of Warm Fuzzies. Nobody had ever before that they could run out. It made them frightened and more wary about giving their Warm Furries away. They became less willing to part with them.
‘Look, the wicked wizard said, ‘Notice how John and Christine are happy to take Warm Fuzzies but rarely give one in exchange.’
The children hadn’t noticed this before but now they took note and were suspicious of each other. Arguments arose between them. Children were accused of hoarding Warm Fuzzies and not giving them out.
The wicked Wizard gave the children Cold Pricklies.
‘You can never run out of Cold Pricklies,’ he told them. ‘There is an endless supply. They stop people getting sick and dying. If someone asks you for a Warm Fuzzy you can give them a Cold Prickly instead – that way you can keep your Warm Fuzzies safe and not be in fear of ever running out.’
The children thought this was good advice. They stopped giving away their Warm Fuzzies and instead started giving Cold Pricklies when asked. Soon everyone in the whole kingdom was carrying around Cold Pricklies and handing them out. Everyone hoarded their Warm Fuzzies and never got them out in case they were stolen.
The land became a gloomy place full of miserable people. They only ever went out and met when they absolutely had to in order to stay alive.
The wicked wizard was delighted, spreading misery made him feel good.
Then, one day, the wise wizard had completed his business and returned. He was dismayed with what he found. He immediately called all the people together.
Grumpily they all congregated in the Town Square.
‘Silly people,’ he chastised them. ‘You should not believe the lies you are told. It is all fake news. There are more than enough Warm Fuzzies. They never run out. The more you give away the more you have!’
The people looked at each other and rejoiced. They threw away all their nasty Cold Pricklies. The wicked wizard was angry and slunk away to never be seen again.
From that day forth everyone gave each other Warm Fuzzies at every opportunity. The land was full of joy again. Nobody ever got sick and nobody ever ran out of Warm Fuzzies.
So if you know anyone who has been surviving all their lives on horrid Cold Pricklies, go and give them a big Warm Fuzzy and make both of you feel good. You can never run out. The more you give away the more you have. And always remember to beware of wicked wizards bearing fake news and ask yourself what are they getting out of it? What is it that is making them happy?
