the river story
Once upon a time a family of fish living in a mountain river was travelling from higher peaks to the plains, to meet their relatives.
Shelly was the smallest in the family. She was travelling for the first time.
She was very excited. She was asking hundreds of questions about each new thing she saw in the stream and her parents were tired of answering her questions.
The moment she saw any one new she would go after them.
Her parents told her not to go far away from them, otherwise she would lose her way.
But Shelly did not listen to them.
She went swimming around and testing all the plants on the way.
Shelly saw a small water snake behind one plant.
She had never seen a water snake before, and wondered, " what kind of fish this is?"
The snake swam away, Shelley went after him. It was getting dark and Shelley lost her way.
She looked everywhere for her parents but could not find them.
Shelly was brave. She did not cry. She thought to herself, " Tomorrow I will find my family," and peacefully went to sleep after eating some of the water grass on the big rock.
Next day Shelley woke up and discovered that she was moving without swimming. The rock she was sleeping on was a tortoise. Shelly jumped into the water.
"Good morning !" She said to the tortoise.
"Good morning. Who are you, little fish? I have never seen you before."said the tortoise.
"I am Shelly and I am lost." said Shelly.
"Maybe I can help you find your parents. Where do you live?"asked the tortoise.
"I know where they live!" said Shelly with a smile," In the river."
The tortoise laughed."I know that! But where in the river?"
Shelly answered, "In our home of course. Once my mother told me that we lived in the river and she never tells lie. Do you know where the river is?"
"This is river." the tortoise said again. He just could not control his laughter.
All the other fish who were swimming by heard this conversation and had a good laugh.
"You are making fun of me because I am small. Why don't you tell me how to go to the river?" Shelly said angrily.
"Well child, I am not making fun of you. This really is the river,"
Shelly felt really bad. " Everyone is crazy around here," she thought. "No one is ready to help."
Shelly went ahead alone. She would ask everyone she met, "Do you know where the river is? I live there." Every one would give her the same crazy answer.
It was night again. Shelly missed her parents.
"How will I ever find the river?" she thought, and began to cry.
An old frog heard her crying and came to her.
"Why are you crying, little fish?" he asked.
Shelly told him the whole story.
The old frog smiled and said ," Don't worry. I know how you can find your parents."
"Why, do you know where the river is?" Shelly asked cheerfully.
"No I do not know where the river is, but I know that the river will know that you are lost and it will come looking for you." said the old frog confidently.
Shelly was very happy.
Three days went by. Every day the old frog would give Shelly food and she would play with the frog's grandchildren.
At night she would ask the old frog, " Are you sure the river will come to me?"
"Of course I am sure!" the old frog would say confidently.
Next day when Shelly was playing with her new friends,
she suddenly heard her mother's voice calling her name.
"Here I am, mother!" Shelly answered.
She went running to the old frog and shouted, "at last the river has come to me!
I heard my mother calling my name. You were so right!"
Shelly's parents were very happy to find her .
The old frog was very happy too.
He said goodbye to Shelly and told her,
"If you ever lose your way to the river again, don't worry. Remember, the river will always find you."
this was the river story.
s
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