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First published 2017 by Twinkl Ltd.

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Copyright © Twinkl Ltd. 2017

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Twinkl and The Making of Milton are registered trademarks of Twinkl Ltd. Twinkl Educational Publishing
Let me tell you about Milton, before he got so scared.
He used to be adventurous…

but now he never dared.

‘Oh, Milton? He’s a brave young boy’ is what they used to say.
‘Why, he goes on fun adventures almost every single day.

He climbs up all
the tallest trees... ls…
h i l
e e p
st
n g,
p lo
e u
bik
h is
es
i d
Her

then
races
the down
ns the
win e.
gs dow o p
n on a r slope.’
But as he had got older, he had somehow lost his way.
He found a new thing scared him when he went out every day. He stayed out of the
garden and instead,
he played indoors.

He worried that
the neighbour’s dog
would get him with his paws.
He wouldn’t play in football games; he’d always stand aside.
He feared he’d fall and hurt himself and so he never tried.
 He never rode his bike because he thought it went too fast.

He never slept in
darkness – he made
sure he used a light.
He imagined he saw
monsters hiding every
single night.

He pictured himself tumbling as everything rushed past.

On one fine sunny morning, Milton headed on his way…

and came across a strange old man,

whose beard was long and grey.
He wore a cloak with patches and a hat upon his head. With that, the old man vanished and left Milton standing there.
He placed a jar in Milton’s hands and this is what he said:

He held the jar

of courage and he couldn’t
“Inside, you’ll help but stare.
find your courage;
I know how you’ve
missed it so.

With this, you

will feel brave
again. Now,
I must up
and go!”
He set off back towards his home
and wandered round the back.
But sitting in the garden was
the neighbours’ dog, Old Jack!

Old Jack rolled

over on his back and
Milton rubbed his belly.
It turned out this dog wasn’t
He looked down at the jar he held and felt his courage grow. scary (just a little smelly!).
He slowly walked towards Old Jack and felt his worries go.
Milton said goodbye to Jack and when he reached
and knew just what to do. the top, he thought,
He grabbed his bike and helmet, ‘This isn’t such a fright.
hopped on quick and off he flew.

He pedalled up the steepest hill;

he pushed with all his might…

I don’t know why

I was so scared,
this seems like
such a breeze!’

With that, he pushed hard

off the ground and flew
downhill with ease.
As Milton headed straight back home, he cycled past the park. He couldn’t understand Then he thought about
His friends were playing football and he felt an idea spark. why he was feeling the jar as he sat down
brave once more. upon the floor.
He asked if he could join them
and they handed him the ball.
He played with them all afternoon
and several times, did fall.

But he found it didn’t matter, he enjoyed it all the same. He took his backpack off his back and opened it with care.
He had a blast with all his friends and they were glad he came. He reached inside to find the jar…
...but there was only air! He quickly turned his bike around, he knew just where to go.
He raced to where the old man was, he didn’t dare go slow.

The jar had disappeared and the thought filled him with dread.
“I cannot do without that jar, it keeps me safe!” he said.
 The old man His hat still “My jar has vanished!” Milton cried. “Whatever will I do?
stood upon the perched upon It helped me to feel brave again, it made me feel brand new.
spot from earlier his head,
that day. his beard still Without it I’m not brave and I will never be again.”
long and grey. His tears fell down upon his shirt and soon left quite a stain.
The old man turned to Milton
and he said, “That isn’t true.
The jar was never special,
there’s still courage inside you.

Again, the old man disappeared,

no sign of him around.
So Milton sat and wondered,
‘Has my courage now been found?’

You didn’t need to use the jar

– your heart was always strong.
Your courage never went, you
see; you had it all along.”
He’d faced up to the neighbours’ dog, he’d cycled down a hill.
Yet none of this had scared him – now it just gave him a thrill.

He thought about the future and he saw how it could be.

“Now that I have my courage back, there’s nothing to stop me!”
The sun began to fade as Milton walked through his front door.
He was tired from his adventuring but still he wanted more.

He climbed into his bed and then turned out the bedroom light.
He didn’t even think about it being off all night.

He couldn’t have felt better after being scared so long.

His courage wasn’t really gone; the old man wasn’t wrong.
So if you’re scared or fearful, then remember, you’re brave too.
Just like Milton, you can find it...

your courage is in you!

 Milton finds that almost
everything frightens him.
“He used to be adventurous
but now he never dared...”
Could a chance meeting with a mysterious
new friend change the way Milton
sees the world, and himself?
An inspiring story about
rediscovering your courage.

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