Tell Me a Story

Dia petting rays at Sea World

Dia often asks for a made-up bedtime story.  She gives me the cast of characters and I have to take it from there.  I've had some doosies thrown at me for certain.
"Mom tell me a story about...." (looking around the room) "a curtain, a mirror and a ceiling.  No, a lamp.  A curtain, a mirror and a lamp and Princess Dia."
I can get very, very creative at moments like this.  Not to say any of the stories are publishable or worthy of consideration by anyone but my silly child, but she loves them and that's what counts.

Sunday night we were watching River Monsters on Animal Planet.  Normally, I would steer away from such shows with a child of such an impressionable age, but Dia loves this stuff.  Crazy giant fish that swallow people whole are pretty much exactly her cup of tea.  As Jeremy Wade (the star of the show) pulls these enormous, terrifying animals from the murky waters of very muddy rivers, Dia sighs in adoration.  "Awwwwwww he's so cuuuuuute" she says.

We retired for bed shortly after River Monsters wrapped up and I was a little concerned about the dreams she might have and so was relieved when she requested a story.  Oh good, I thought - we'll have an adventure of Princess Dia and deprogram her brain away from human-sized (or larger) creatures of the deep.
"What shall the story be about, love?" I asked her.
"Giant fish - a giant sting ray and a squid."
Oh dear...
So I offered a compromise.  "How about a manta ray instead?"
"OK" she said, pausing "her momma was a giant manta ray and her daddy was a poisonous sting ray and half her stinger is deadly poisonous and half of it is just manta ray stinger."
Oh dear...
"Any stipulations on the squid?" I asked, wincing in anticipation of her response.
"No, just a squid.  But the manta ray and the squid are best friends."

So here for your reading pleasure is, more or less, what I came up with:
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Once upon a time there was a giant manta ray.  She was the most beautiful and graceful of all the sea creatures and every time she glided past the other fish, they all commented amongst themselves of the ray's beauty.  "Oh" they'd whisper "it's like watching ballet just to see her swim past."  "Indeed" others would say "she is magnificent."

Manta Ray had a dear, dear friend the squid and they did almost everything together.  Squid loved Manta Ray very much and agreed with all the other fish that Manta Ray was most perfect.  She unfortunately also agreed with the opinions on her she overheard.  "That squid swims like she has the hiccups" they'd whisper.  "Indeed" others would say "she is a tangled mess of tentacles."

Squid very much wanted to be as revered as Manta Ray and so she went to the library and took out a book on Famous Squid in History for inspiration.  She read about a doctor squid who discovered that octopus ink cured almost every squid disease there was.  She read about a fashion designer squid that created specialized accessories changing squid fashion forever.  She read about a character actress squid that terrified audiences with her eerie roles.  While they were all fascinating to read about, none inspired her particularly.  She didn't have the stomach for medicine, was all thumbs (or tentacles) when it came to anything artistic and she really was a terrible actress.

Discouraged, she took the book back to the library.  As she was leaving, hanging her head in defeat, she noticed a book on a bottom shelf.  The title simply read "Giant Squid."  On a whim, she opened the book and found her inspiration.

(Now (I reminded Dia) remember that Jeremy explained to us that fish grow to indeterminable sizes dependent only upon their food and water source.)

Squid called up Manta Ray excitedly and told her of her plan to become a giant squid.  "Surely," she explained "if I'm a giant squid, capable of terrifying human sailors and divers alike, I would be respected and awed instead of mocked.  And all I have to do is eat!"

Manta Ray loved squid very much and wanted to support her friend in any way she could.  So she raided humans' boats and gathered up all the fattening foods she could find.  She brought them back to Squid who gorged herself on donuts and french fries and sticks of butter.

Soon Squid began to grow, but she grew more fat than tall.  She also began to feel sluggish and noticed that she tired easily with the shortest of swims.  She didn't feel like playing.  She didn't feel well at all in fact, and wondered if all this was worth it in the end.

Manta Ray began to become very concerned about her friend and asked her "Dear friend, shall I fetch you more human fattening food?"  Squid shook her head.  "Dear friend," Manta Ray continued "Can I get you anything to cheer you at all?"  Squid shook her head.  "Then I shall just sit with you quietly and hold your tentacle until you feel better" Manta Ray resolved.

Suddenly it dawned on Squid.  She didn't need to be giant, or famous, or gifted to feel wonderful.  Manta Ray was her best friend and what a wonderful friend she was indeed.  Squid knew she was loved, just exactly as she was - giant or small.  She gave her friend a big hug, told her she loved her very much and swam out into the open waters with a huge smile on her face.

This time, as she swam by, she overheard some fish whispering "There's something different about that squid."  "Indeed" others said "she is magnificent."

The End