In the heart of the Colorful Coral Reef, there lived a rumbly-tummied green turtle named Turtle. He was always looking for a snack, munching on seagrass and chasing the slowest seaweed.
Turtle’s best buddy was Bullhead, a green and yellow fish with a special talent. He could change his scales to match his surroundings, hiding from sneaky seahorses.
One bright morning, Turtle groaned, 'My belly's grumbling louder than a thunderstorm!' He was extra hungry today, but no matter how much seagrass he gobbled, it wasn't enough.
Bullhead giggled and swam circles around Turtle. 'Maybe you need a magic snack! Let’s ask Shimmer and Sparkle, the mermaids of the reef!'
They flipped and dipped through the waves, spotting the twin mermaids by the glittering golden rings. Shimmer sang sweetly while Sparkle played melodies on her coral harp.
The two mermaids explained with a laugh, 'Swim through our golden rings, make a wish, and if it’s true, from the heart, it just might come true.'
Turtle thought hard, his eyes shut tight. 'I wish for the biggest, juiciest, crunchiest piece of seaweed!' he declared, swimming through a glowing ring.
In a flash, a jumbo piece of seaweed appeared! Turtle nibbled, munched, and gulped it down. 'Delicious!' But after a moment, his tummy rumbled again.
'Oh, Turtle,' chortled Sparkle. 'Your wish was from your belly, not your heart!' Shimmer added, 'Try again, something that’s dear to you.'
Bullhead bounced excitedly. 'What if we wish for a feast for all our friends?' He swam through the ring, and so did Turtle, thinking of their friends.
The reef shimmered as tables laden with different seaweeds, planktons, and fishes' favorite foods appeared. All the sea creatures cheered and shared the feast together.
Full and happy, Turtle realized it wasn't just food that made his heart full, but the joy of sharing and laughing with friends under the sparkling sea.
Reflection Questions