Speaker 1: Welcome Back Friends to short stories for kids. The Mischievous
Mermaid's Secret Ocean Quest. Deep down at the bottom of
the ocean, in the secret city of Atlantis, home of
the Murr people, lived a naughty mermaid named Marina. Marina
kept to herself, away from the other mermaids, not because
she chose to herself, but because of the mischievous things
she had done in the past. You see, once upon
a time, Marina made up stories and caused chaos in Atlantis.
Once she swam into the town hall and told the
major all the ocean is draining away, the sky is
falling in. Everyone panic and started swimming around trying to
figure out what to do. All Marina did was laugh
and laugh watching everyone panic. She thought it was hilarious.
When the Major of Atlantis found out, he was furious.
Do you know what you did today? He huffed, But
Marina laughed and laughed. She never took anything seriously. The
next year, Marina pulled the same trick. She rushed into
the Atlantis police department and cried, I've seen it. A
ship has sunken and it's heading our way. The Atlantis
police force rushed out and started to search the seas
for the sinking ship, but they couldn't find it. They
soon realized they couldn't find it because it wasn't there.
It's that Marina up to her tricks again, said one
of the mermen. Then from that day on, no one
believed a word Marina said. Not many people even wanted
to talk to her, and that's why she was always
separate from the other mermaids. At first, she said she
didn't care, but then she pretended not to care because
underneath her bravado, she felt very sorry for playing pranks
and upsetting people. As she grew older, she realized that
her pranks were cruel, and regret set in. She'd loved
to play with the other mermaids, but they remembered how
mean she could be. Marina set off through the ocean,
trying to find something to do. It can certainly get
boring when you're always on your own. Eventually, she came
across a huge cave she'd never seen before on the
side of the ocean wall. What was inside? Marina listened,
and she could hear far away voices echoing out who
was in there. Marina silently swam into the hole. It
kept going on for forever. Eventually she could see bright
neon lights. It was the lights of the creatures that
lived deep down in the seabed. And what were they
doing here? Marina peered around a corner, and to her surprise,
a great big group of sharks, octopuses, giant whales, and
sea eels were having a meeting. Marina stayed hidden and
listened to what they were saying. Okay, gang, said the
big shark with a patch over one eye, as he
stood before the group. Here is our plan to take
over Atlantis. Take over Atlantis, Marina gasped to herself. First
the hammerheads go in and break the glass bubble domes
over their buildings, all the hammer had said. I. Then
the eels go in and take out all their electrical wires. Yeah,
sneered the eels, then, said the one eyed shark with
sharp tooth glee. The sharks, whales and octopus can finish
off the murr people. The sharks, whales, and octopuses all
growled and roared. We will attack tomorrow at dawn, exclaimed
the one eyed shark. Bye. All the undersea creatures cried.
I have to get back and warn everyone. Marina said
to herself and shut off. Back out the hole, she
swam faster than she'd ever swam before, plowing through the
ocean as fast as a bow from an arrow. She
made it back to the other mermaids and blurted, you
have to help. A huge gang of sharks and octopus
and eels are going to attack us at dawn. Yeah. Sure,
said one of the mermaids. But it's true. We've heard
it all before. Marina, You're just a mermaid who's filled
with lies. But I'm not lying. I promise it's true.
One of the other mermaids said, sure, go and tell
it to someone who cares. Ah, Marina huffed, If only
she hadn't played those silly pranks in the past. Marina
rushed to the major's office. He would help, But when
she got there and told her story of sharks and
octopus and eels who were going to attack at dawn,
the major yawned and said, save it. I've heard it
all before, but this time it's real. Of course, it
is just like the last time. The Major rolled his
eyes and went back to reading the Atlantis Gazette. Oh,
Marina moaned. Her last chance was at the police station.
They'd have to believe her, wouldn't they. When Marina got there,
she burst through the doors and exclaimed, police police, a
huge gang of sharks and octopus and eels are going
to attack us. At come on, please, said the chief
of Atlantis Police, waving a hand at Marina, just like
when you told us the ocean was draining. No more lying,
or we'll put you in jail. Oh but I'm not lying,
Marina cried. What could she do? No one believed her.
There was only one thing she could do. She'd have
to try and defeat all the sea creatures herself. The
next morning, just before dawn, as all the mir people slept,
Marina sat on a rooftop, watching out into the ocean
through binoculars. Just as they'd said, a huge gang of
sea creatures all swam towards Atlantis. They were coming. Marina
went to work. First, she swam with an old saucepan
in her hand and smashed it against the doors of
every house she passed, waking everyone up. Then she went
and smashed it against the major's door, then the police
chief's door, and then all the mermaids. They all came
out and started to moan and shout at Marina. Then
they chased her. Great Marina cried as everyone swam behind her.
Then she made it to the speaker system in the
middle of Atlantis, grabbed the microphone and said, the sea
creatures are coming. The sea creatures are coming. The police
chief grabbed Marina and said, okay, Marina, we've had enough
of your tricks. You're going to jail. Then the police
chiefs saw them in the ocean above. All the sea
creatures were almost there. Oh no, she was right, cried
the Major. Prepare for battle. All the mer people swam
up and defended Atlantis and saw all the sea creatures off,
never to return. You were telling the truth, one of
the mermaids said to Marina. Marina nodded and apologized for
playing pranks in the past. All the mermaids gave Marina
a hug and accepted her apology. Later that day, when
everything had returned to normal, Marina apologized to all of
Atlantis for her past actions, and the Major gave her
a medal for telling the truth and helping to save
Atlantis from the sea creatures. From that day on, Marina
never played a prank again, and she became friends with
all of the inhabitants of Atlantis, The End,