Christian and Sabastian were two prawns who lived in relative harmony with the other crustaceans near a reef in the Atlantic. Sabastian's only angst was a nasty lobster who'd try to attack him every time he came anywhere near. He was also terrorised by a big shark that would try to gobble him up occasionally. This caused Sabastian so much upset he said one night: "Oh how I wish I was like that big shark - then I wouldn't have any enemies except man.
That evening an enormous fish, hundreds of times the size of Sabastian appeared at his home. Terrified, he cowered in the corner of his little cave."Who are you?"
"I am Cod. I have heard your wish, and it has been granted." With that, Cod swam off into the night.
True to his word, the next morning Sabastian woke to find himself reformed as the largest shark ever to grace the Atlantic - even larger than the merlins and Great White. Truly he had no enemies, for all were sore afraid of him.
"Somebody to see you." He called to Leonard, the lobster. He took one look at Sabastian, screamed and shot back in his hole, never to be seen again. He charged this way and that, scattering all his enemies and then swam back to see his old friends, but as soon as he approached, they all fled in terror.
"Please, come back." He pleaded, to no avail. "It's me, Sabastian - I won't harm you." But they wouldn't listen. As the days wore into weeks, Sabastian became more and more depressed. He searched high and low for Cod, but couldn't find him anywhere. That evening he settled on the sea bed and cried for all his friends. Cod heard his sobs and came to investigate. He listened quietly as Sabastian told him of all his sorrows. Filled with compassion, he brushed aside one of Sabastian's tears with his fin, and soothed him.
"You have learned your lesson the hard way. Because you see, Sabastian, no matter how small or unimportant wethink we are, every creature in this ocean, large or small has a very important roll to play. We are what we are, and it is wrong to try to be anything we are not. Dry your eyes Sabastian - tomorrow you will be back to your old self."
The next day Sabastian found himself back the way he was and, crying with joy, ran all the way back to his reef. Everybody rejoiced and to celebrate, he bought everybody a cocktail (no, not a prawn cocktail - that would be just too corny!). Looking round, he soon realised his best friend wasn't there. "Where's Christian?" He asked, concerned.
"He's at home, pining for you." They replied. Sabastian dropped everything and ran as fast as his little legs could carry him, until he came to his house.
"Christian! Christian - come out! It's me, Sabastian."
"No," came the reply, "It's a trick - you'll gobble me up for lunch."
"Christian, I've changed. Look out of the window if you don't believe me." Christian took a peek out of the window, ran to his little friend Sabastian, and burst into tears.
As tears flowed from Sabastian's little eyes he said; "I never realised how so many people loved me. Something really, really wonderful happened last night, l never forget." He wiped a tear and said:
"I found Cod, and now I'm a PRAWN AGAIN, CHRISTIAN!"
That evening an enormous fish, hundreds of times the size of Sabastian appeared at his home. Terrified, he cowered in the corner of his little cave."Who are you?"
"I am Cod. I have heard your wish, and it has been granted." With that, Cod swam off into the night.
True to his word, the next morning Sabastian woke to find himself reformed as the largest shark ever to grace the Atlantic - even larger than the merlins and Great White. Truly he had no enemies, for all were sore afraid of him.
"Somebody to see you." He called to Leonard, the lobster. He took one look at Sabastian, screamed and shot back in his hole, never to be seen again. He charged this way and that, scattering all his enemies and then swam back to see his old friends, but as soon as he approached, they all fled in terror.
"Please, come back." He pleaded, to no avail. "It's me, Sabastian - I won't harm you." But they wouldn't listen. As the days wore into weeks, Sabastian became more and more depressed. He searched high and low for Cod, but couldn't find him anywhere. That evening he settled on the sea bed and cried for all his friends. Cod heard his sobs and came to investigate. He listened quietly as Sabastian told him of all his sorrows. Filled with compassion, he brushed aside one of Sabastian's tears with his fin, and soothed him.
"You have learned your lesson the hard way. Because you see, Sabastian, no matter how small or unimportant wethink we are, every creature in this ocean, large or small has a very important roll to play. We are what we are, and it is wrong to try to be anything we are not. Dry your eyes Sabastian - tomorrow you will be back to your old self."
The next day Sabastian found himself back the way he was and, crying with joy, ran all the way back to his reef. Everybody rejoiced and to celebrate, he bought everybody a cocktail (no, not a prawn cocktail - that would be just too corny!). Looking round, he soon realised his best friend wasn't there. "Where's Christian?" He asked, concerned.
"He's at home, pining for you." They replied. Sabastian dropped everything and ran as fast as his little legs could carry him, until he came to his house.
"Christian! Christian - come out! It's me, Sabastian."
"No," came the reply, "It's a trick - you'll gobble me up for lunch."
"Christian, I've changed. Look out of the window if you don't believe me." Christian took a peek out of the window, ran to his little friend Sabastian, and burst into tears.
As tears flowed from Sabastian's little eyes he said; "I never realised how so many people loved me. Something really, really wonderful happened last night, l never forget." He wiped a tear and said:
"I found Cod, and now I'm a PRAWN AGAIN, CHRISTIAN!"
