In the middle of a peaceful forest, where the tall trees whispered in the wind and the streams sang gentle songs, lived a sweet young deer named Darla. Darla had soft brown fur, big gentle eyes, and a kind heart. She lived in a cozy clearing with her mama, her papa, and her little brother, Denny.

Darla loved to run through the trees, leap over fallen logs, and splash in the nearby stream. But more than anything, Darla loved helping others. Her mama always reminded her, "Treat others the way you want to be treated." Darla tried her best to remember.

One sunny morning, Darla skipped through the forest to meet her friends at the berry bush. Benny the Badger, Lucy the Squirrel, and Fred the Fox were already there, picking plump red berries.

"Hi, everyone!" Darla called cheerfully.

"Hi, Darla!" they replied.

Suddenly, a little voice piped up. "Can I play too?"

It was Timmy the Turtle. He was small and slow, and sometimes the other animals didn’t want to wait for him.

Fred rolled his eyes. "He’ll take forever to get here. Let’s start without him."

Darla looked at Timmy, who had a hopeful smile. She remembered her mama’s words and thought, How would I feel if I were left behind?

Darla stepped forward. "Timmy, of course you can play! We’ll wait for you."

Fred frowned, but Lucy and Benny nodded. "Come on, Timmy," Lucy said kindly.

They spent the day playing berry toss, and even though Timmy moved slowly, he had the best aim and made them all laugh.

The next day, Darla was walking to the stream when she heard someone crying. She followed the sound and found Ellie the Eagle with her wing stuck between two branches.

"Oh no!" said Darla. "Are you okay?"

"I was flying low and didn’t see the branches," Ellie sniffled. "Now I’m stuck."

Darla tried to pull the branches apart, but they were too tight.

"I’ll get help," she said, and ran as fast as she could to find her friends.

Fred, Benny, and Lucy came quickly. Together, they pushed and pulled until Ellie’s wing was free.

"Thank you!" Ellie said. "You didn’t have to help, but you did."

"Of course," Darla said with a smile. "We help others the way we’d want them to help us."

As the days passed, more chances came for Darla to show kindness. When Benny dropped his lunch, Darla shared hers. When Lucy forgot the way home, Darla walked with her. Each time, Darla didn’t think twice—she just asked herself, What would I want someone to do for me?

But not everyone was so kind. One afternoon, Darla saw Fred teasing a younger fox named Felix.

"Why are you so small?" Fred laughed. "You look like a squirrel!"

Felix’s ears drooped. "Please stop," he said softly.

Darla stepped forward. "Fred, how would you feel if someone made fun of you?"

Fred shrugged. "It’s just a joke."

"But it hurt Felix," Darla said. "We should treat others with kindness, not laughter at their expense."

Fred looked down. "I guess I didn’t think of it that way."

Darla smiled gently. "It’s okay. Just remember the Golden Rule—treat others how you want to be treated."

Fred apologized to Felix, and the two soon became friends.

One morning, a storm rolled through the forest. The wind howled, and the rain poured. After the storm, the forest was a mess. Branches were everywhere, and some animals' homes were damaged.

Darla saw Mama Mole trying to clean her burrow, but the mud kept sliding back in. Nearby, birds chirped sadly near their broken nest.

Without waiting, Darla gathered her friends. "Let’s help everyone clean up."

They worked all day—carrying sticks, rebuilding nests, and clearing paths. Even Fred worked hard, smiling as he helped.

That evening, the forest looked bright again. The animals cheered for Darla and her friends.

"Thank you for helping us!" said Mama Mole.

Darla blushed. "We just did what we hope others would do for us."

That night, as Darla lay in her soft bed of leaves, she felt warm inside. She had spent the day helping, sharing, and caring. In return, she felt loved and happy.

Her mama kissed her forehead. "You are a light in this forest, Darla. Keep living by the Golden Rule."

Darla smiled. "I will, Mama. Every day."

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. When you treat others with kindness, patience, and love, you make the world a better place—for them and for you. The Golden Rule brings light, joy, and friendship wherever you go.