A Zaadz. Friends Project : writing a childrensstory

 
How it all started :

 http://edusue13.zaadz.com/blog/2007/12/words_of_wisdom_from_john_denver

I wrote part 1 on a December night, in Dutch

 
My heroes as for now :

 http://aura.zaadz.com/photos/14/130803/large/otter02_1_.jpg?

 
http://aura.zaadz.com/photos/14/131943/large/cuppa.jpg?

 
Michiel was so kind to translate into English

 
http://ecoawareness.zaadz.com/

I got a place in Sandra’s Diving Deeper Pod

 
http://pods.zaadz.com/creativewriting/discussions/board/5103

This is part 1.

Plish Plash’ Journey.

There was an otter who lived in Canada and she did all the things that otters do: building her house at the shore of the river, swimming, and eating fish. She loved her life, the water and the sun. And she loved to play, especially making acrobatic twists and turns under water.
 
Other animals, like the owl did not think she was taking life seriously, but our otter didn’t care about that...

But what she loved most, was sun bathing. That was also good for her skin. You see, she was a little vain. She had her favorite spot along the river, a big rock where she would stretch out to enjoy the sun. Sometimes, she would fall asleep only to wake up with a big yawn, warm and cozy.

One day she was out sun bathing on her rock, sound asleep. But this time she woke up from from something hairy touching her face.

“Hey lazy bones, wake up!”

The otter got quite a fright.
”Who are you” she asked, squinting her eyes.
”Squirrel.”
” I am Otter, but they also call me Plish Plash.”
Otter didn’t know what to think of the strange fellow but she was too curious to send him away. And maybe this was somehow important, or better yet, fun.

”I have an important message” stated Squirrel solemnly.  “Scoot on over!” Before Plish Plash could object, Squirrel had made himself comfortable on her rock and since there was no room left to stretch out, Otter sat up sticking her feet in the water.

“Why are wasting your time here?” continued Squirrel.
”You have no idea what I am talking about, right?”

Plish Plash shook her head.
”Alright, let me explain. It is important that we help each other, work together so we can grow and make the world a better place.”

”You mean I should grow and find a bigger rock for sunbathing?”
”No, No. It is about growing on the inside. And maybe that other rock can be for someone else. You wouldn’t mind, would you?”

”Well, I never thought about it, but I guess it would be okay. And what do you mean with ‘inside’? Make my house bigger? I can do that, no problem!” said Plish Plash.
Squirrel had to laugh..... “It’s not that easy”.

”Are you saying it is hard?” Plish Plash didn’t like doing hard things, but she remained curious. She shook her big tail. Something she always did when she wasn’t quite sure, and continued listening.

“Look here” said Squirrel, “if we all just continue with sun bathing, like you, then nothing will happen. Right?”

”Right” said  Plish Plash hesitantly.
”Everybody needs to grow here!” Squirrel pointed to his heart with his little paw.

Otter did the same and tried to feel her hart with her paw. “I am feeling nothing? Is that bad?”

Squirrel continued: “And find out what you are good at when it comes to helping others. If we all do that then it will be good for us all and we can be one big community.”
”How many of us are there then?””asked  Plish Plash.
”Lots!”
”I get it! There will be many visitors and I have to make my house bigger, just as I thought, and we need lots more rocks for sunbathing. Plish Plash had it figured out, or.......?
But before she could ask, Squirrel said: “ Alright friend, now you got it. If you want to join in, that’s great, but you will have to figure it out yourself from now on. I gotta go. Bye!”

Plish Plash was left wondering. What a strange message. Squirrel didn’t really tell her to make her house bigger or find more rocks, but those were the things she was really good at. Should she start there? And who would come and visit? Better be prepared. But this growing on the inside? She had no clue what it meant. She slid from her rock and swam home, not as happy as she usually was. She worried if she should still lie in the sun, and noticed the sun had begun to set. Would the sun still be there the next moring? She would have to wait and find out, and one thing Plsih Plash hated, was waiting.  And worse of all, she worried about that growing on the inside thing.

When morning came around, Plish Plash couldn’t wait to stick her nose outside to see if the sun was back. And yes, there he was. Eveything would be alright. She shook herself as to shake her worried off and thought hard. Squirrel was gone and he had no patience explaining all this stuff to her anyway, so who could help her understand better? And suddenly she had an idea.

 It would be great if the story got a part 2, part 3, and so on. Remember it is a childrenstory. And of course it has to have a happy ending:).
Members of the Diving Deeper Pod and new members : surprise me.
( If you want to participate : go to the Diving Deeper Pod/Prose)

 
 
Thank you Susan and kids, Catherine, Michiel and Sandra. It was great to do this!