TYRONE THE TURTLE LOSES HIS WAY Chapter (1).

It was a lovely warm day in the jungle and Elyphina the baby elephant was making her way to the crystal pool under the big Baobab tree.

Elyphina often went to the pool on hot days for a refreshing drink of the sweet cool water.

Elyphina dropped her crincly cruncly trunk into the water and started to suck. You see Elephants use their long nose to suck up water and then squirt it into their mouths. Well, she had just taken the first nose full when the head of a small fish popped out of the water next to her trunk and made her jump. Elyphina was so startled she fell over backwards landing with a bump which made her snort, but her nose was full of water and as she snorted the water squirted into the air and fell back down like a little rain shower.

“I’m sorry if I startled you.” Said a tiny fishy voice. Elyphina sat up and looked at the fishy head sticking out of the water.

“Well...” she said. “You did make me jump a little.” The little fish spoke again.

“My name is Terry, Terry the Tilapia, how do you do.”

“Erm, how do you do too.” Said Elyphina. “It’s nice to meet you.” And she gave a little bow as she said it. Then Terry the Tilapia spoke again.

“I’ve seen you here before but I usually stay near the bottom of the pool with all my family and cousins. You see in the mornings large Maribou Storks come here for breakfast, and they like to eat fishes, so we stay at the bottom of the pool until they’ve gone away.”

“Why have you come up to see me today?” Asked Elyphina. Terry swam a little closer to the edge of the pool and gave Elyphina a huge fishy smile.

“You see...” continued Terry. “My friend Tina the Turtle has lost her son Tyrone.”

“Oh dear...” Said Elyphina. “That is most unfortunate. Does your friend know where she lost him?” The little fish looked at Elyphina with a puzzled expression.

“Well No of course not.” Terry replied. “She didn’t take him to the shopping market and forget to bring him home, he’s gone missing all by himself.”

“I see.” Said Elyphina as she sat down and crossed her legs. She was about to say something when, pop, pop, pop, three more little fishy heads popped out of the water.

“Please help us.” They said together in a squeaky fishy sort of sound. “Tina the Turtle has left the pond to look for Tyrone and they haven’t come back.” Elyphina could see the worried expressions on their tiny faces.

“I’m sure I can help you to find them?” She said. The little fishes smiled again and squeaked.

“That would be very helpful; you see we cannot go because we have to stay in the water.” Then just as quickly as they had arrived the little fishes flipped over and swam back down to the safety of the bottom of the pool.  Elyphina rested her elbow on one knee and said.

“Yes I see. I thought Turtles had to stay in the water too.” The little fish wiggled his tail and said.

“Turtles breathe air so they can live on the land and in this pool.”

“Oh I see.” Said Elyphina, and she closed her eyes and scrunched up her crinkly face.

“Err what are you doing?” Terry said. “Are you feeling unwell?” Elyphina opened one eye and replied.

“No, silly, I’m thinking.” Said Elyphina.

“It looks like a funny way to think.” Said Terry and he flipped his tail again. Elyphina closed her eye and scrunched her face up once again. She put her foot onto her chin and you could tell she was thinking very hard.

After a few moments Elyphina opened her eyes and jumped to her feet. Terry wasn’t expecting it and did a summersault out of the water. SPLASH went the water as he fell back into the pond.

“I know what we’ll do.” Said an excited Elyphina. “But first I need to speak to my friends.” Elyphina turned quickly around and started to run back into the jungle. Then she stopped and looked back at Terry who was wondering what she was doing.

“Don’t go away.” She said, “I’ll be back very soon.”

Terry lifted a fin to wave goodbye but Elyphina was already disappearing into the jungle.

Author's Note

Clive Tilley has asserted his right to be identified
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