“Giving Friendship,” Friend, Oct. 2010, 36–37
Giving Friendship
Give, oh! Give away (Children’s Songbook, 236).
Becky was ready for kindergarten. She knew her ABCs and some of her colors—red, yellow, blue, green, orange, and black. She knew the numbers up to 29.
Becky also knew that some of her friends from Primary would be in her class—Brooke, Chris, and Van. She was going to have fun.
When Becky saw her teacher, Mrs. Varner, she knew she would love her. When she saw the two other girls at her table, she knew they would be friends.
Then Becky saw a girl with long black hair standing by the door. She could tell the girl was scared. Mrs. Varner took the girl’s hand and led her over to Becky’s table. “This is Monica,” Mrs. Varner said. “She is from Mexico. She doesn’t speak English yet, only Spanish. Will you girls be her friends?”
Becky nodded and handed Monica a marker. But Monica just sat and stared at the table. After a few minutes, she started to cry.
Then Becky knew what to do. Her dad had gone to Spain on his mission, and he had taught her to sing “‘Give,’ Said the Little Stream”* in Spanish. Becky put her hand on Monica’s arm and started to sing:
El arroyito da, siempre da, siempre da.
El arroyito da de sus aguas al pasar.
Pequeño es, mas por donde va a las plantas vida da.
Y cantando dulce son, demos hoy con gran amor;
Y cantando dulce son, demos con amor.
When Monica heard the song in her language, she started to smile. Becky knew she had made a new friend.
Illustrations by Matt Smith