On a sunny beach, where the waves sang as they crashed against the sand and the palm trees swayed with the wind, there lived a crab named Lolo. Lolo was like any other crab: he had a hard and strong shell, long legs for walking quickly, and claws he used to pick up interesting things. But there was something very curious about him: he was terrified of getting into the water!
Every day, his sea friends —a yellow fish named Bubble, a starfish named Brisa, and a sea turtle named Lila— would go out to play among the waves. They chased each other, swam, and raced underwater. But whenever they invited Lolo, he always said:
“No, thank you! I’d rather stay here on the sand.”
One day, Bubble asked him:
“Lolo, why don’t you ever come into the water with us? It’s so much fun.”
Lolo lowered his gaze and replied:
“It’s just… I’m scared. I don’t know what’s down there. What if something happens to me?”
Brisa, who was nearby, said:
“But you’re a crab. The water is part of your home. You were born to be there too.”
Lolo shook his shell and answered:
“I know, but I can’t help it. I’m afraid of what I can’t see. What if there are strong currents or big creatures?”
Lila, the sea turtle, smiled and said:
“Then we’ll teach you little by little. No one is born knowing everything. We can help you.”
Lolo thought for a moment and agreed. After all, he wanted to overcome his fear. So his friends made a plan.
First, they decided that Lolo would only dip his claws at the shore, where the waves barely touched the sand. At first, Lolo trembled a little, but soon he realized that the water was cool and gentle. His friends cheered from the water:
“Great job, Lolo! You’ve taken the first step!”
The next day, Bubble encouraged him to take another step. This time, Lolo went in up to his knees. The small waves caressed him while his friends played around him.
“See? Nothing bad is happening,” said Brisa.
Little by little, Lolo began to gain confidence. One day, Lila invited him to go a bit deeper.
“Don’t be afraid. I’ll be by your side the whole time,” she promised.
Lolo took a deep breath and let the water cover him completely. He opened his eyes underwater and saw an incredible world: brightly colored fish swam around him, green seaweed danced with the current, and shiny shells rested on the seabed. It was beautiful.
“Wow!” exclaimed Lolo when he surfaced. “I never imagined it would be so beautiful down here!”
Bubble and Brisa clapped excitedly.
“We knew you’d love it!” they said at the same time.
From that day on, Lolo was no longer afraid. He learned to swim with his friends and discovered that the water wasn’t just safe but also full of adventures. Together, they explored underwater caves, found hidden treasures, and even organized races among the rocks.
Sometimes, when new crabs arrived at the beach and were afraid to enter the water, Lolo would tell them his story.
“I used to be scared too, but my friends helped me overcome it. You just need to start with small steps,” he’d say.
In this way, Lolo not only became an expert swimmer but also someone who inspired others to face their own fears. And every evening, as the sun set and painted the sky orange and pink, Lolo and his friends would go out to play in the water, happy to share their world together.
End. 🦀
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