Willow the Wise Wren's Song
Willow the Wise Wren's Song — an illustrated stories story. 10 illustrated pages, free to read on Wonder Books.
Page 1
Bubbles drifted through the open porthole as Willow the wren chirped, "Hurry, Coralia! School's about to start!" Coralia, a vibrant clownfish, peeked out from behind a swaying sea anemone. "Coming, Willow! Did you finish your kelp cake?" she asked, darting forward, her orange and white stripes shimmering in the filtered sunlight.
Page 2
"Almost! But I found something much more interesting!" Willow exclaimed, hopping excitedly towards a dusty, barnacle-covered chest. She pried it open, revealing a collection of old maps and charts. "Look! This one's really old. It shows a secret underwater passage!" Coralia swam closer, peering at the faded parchment. "But what's that strange symbol in the corner?"
Page 3
"It looks like the mark of the Whispering Whale!" a booming voice echoed. Barnaby, an old sea turtle with seaweed spectacles perched on his nose, swam into view. "He was said to guard the deepest secrets of the reef!" Willow tilted her head. "'The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing,' Barnaby," Coralia said, remembering Socrates. "So, maybe we should learn more about him?"
Page 4
"The passage leads to his hidden grotto," Barnaby explained. "But beware! The currents are treacherous, and the grumpy hermit crabs guard the entrance!" Coralia gulped. "Hermit crabs? But they pinch!" Willow puffed out her chest. "We can do this! We'll just have to be clever. Maybe we can distract them with something shiny?"
Page 5
As they approached the passage, they noticed a group of shimmering jellyfish clustered near the entrance. "Did you know," Willow said, "that some jellyfish are bioluminescent? They can make their own light!" Coralia gasped. "Wow! Maybe we can use them to see in the dark!" she suggested. Suddenly, a chorus of clicking sounds erupted from the shadows. The hermit crabs!
Page 6
"Halt! Who goes there?" a crabby voice rasped. A dozen hermit crabs, each with a different shell scavenged from the seafloor, surrounded them. "We seek the Whispering Whale," Willow announced bravely. "He doesn't like visitors!" the lead hermit crab snapped. "Turn back, or face our wrath!" Coralia whimpered. "What are we going to do?"
Page 7
Willow noticed a small, shiny button discarded on the seafloor. "Remember what Barnaby said about distracting them with something shiny?" she whispered to Coralia. Coralia nodded, then bravely swam forward, holding up the button. "Look! A sparkling treasure!" The hermit crabs, instantly distracted, scuttled towards the button, their pincers clicking excitedly.
Page 8
As the hermit crabs fought over the button, Willow grabbed a handful of the bioluminescent jellyfish. "Now!" she cried. She tossed the glowing jellyfish into the passage, illuminating the way forward. "Remember what the map showed! There's a hidden air pocket halfway through the passage!" Coralia exclaimed, recalling what she saw on the dusty chart. "Let's go, for adventure," she said. It was working!
Page 9
They surfaced in a hidden grotto, where a massive, ancient whale rested peacefully. His skin shimmered with a thousand tiny lights. "Welcome, little ones," he rumbled, his voice like the ocean itself. "You sought knowledge, and now you shall have it." Willow asked, "What's the greatest thing you can learn?" The whale paused, "Everything is better with friends."
Page 10
"Thank you," Willow and Coralia said together, their hearts full of gratitude. Back at the coral reef school, the two friends prepared kelp cakes together, knowing their friendship was more valuable than any treasure. After their adventure, they had learned more than about the Whispering Whale. They also learned about each other.
About this story
- Audience: kids (ages 6–12)
Questions and answers
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