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England
One day a very small shark was born and looked around at his world for the first time.
“Gosh!” he said. “It’s a big place. Where am I?”
He swam around for a bit then stopped suddenly.
Where was everyone? He realised that he was all alone.
“If I’m alone,” he said out loud, “how do I know what I am?”
Caribbean
Tiny crossed the whole Atlantic Ocean and swam to the Caribbean.
He came across a shark lying on the sand.
“Hey man, how’s it going?” the shark asked.
“I’m Tiny and I don’t know what I am,” said the little shark. “What are you?”
“Hey man, I’m a Caribbean reef shark. I live on the Caribbean Reef. I’m Winston. No need to hurry. Put your fins up and lie down for a while!” said the shark.
“Could I be like you?” said Tiny hopefully.
“Excuuuuuuuuuuse meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee e?” said a booming voice above him.
A huge shape loomed overhead, with a huge mouth.
“Yes,” said the little shark in a very small voice.
“Yooooooou loooooooook looooooooooost. Is everything okaaaaaaaaaaaay?”
“I’m Tiny,” said the little shark, trying not to tremble. “I don’t know what I am. What are you?”
“I’m Humphrey,” said the mouth. “I’m a baaaaaaaaaaasking shaaaaaaaaaaaaaark. I bask on the surface of the sea.”
“Could I be like you?” said Tiny.
“Don’t reckon so, little fella,” said Winston. “I’m brown and you’re blue.”
“Oh,” said Tiny. “Why are you that colour?”
“So I blend in when I’m on patrol,” said Winston. “Look over there”
Tiny looked where he was pointing and saw the most beautiful garden he had ever seen.
“What is it?” he said in amazement.
“Coral reef,” said Winston. “And it’s very precious. Life in the ocean depends on it. But fish, boats and humans come and break it and it takes hundreds of years to grow. I just lay around here on the sand guarding it.”
“Well I’m very glad you’re here,” said Tiny, “but what shall I do?”
“Head west and see what you can find,” said Winston.
“I will, and thank you.”
And the little shark swam on.
Seychelles, Indian Ocean
The little shark carried on west across the Indian Ocean and soon came upon beautiful islands that looked like little jewels in the sea.
“Bonjour!” said a very deep voice.
The little shark wheeled around and looked into the biggest blackest mouth he had ever seen.
“Eeek!” he squeeked.
“Pardonez moi,” said the voice and the big mouth moved around to reveal a very small eye peering at him. “Didn’t mean to scare you.”
“Yyyyyyyou dddddddddidn’t,” said Tiny shaking from head to tail. “I’m Tttttttiny and I don’t know what I am. Wwwwwhat are you?”
“I’m Jacques. I’m a whale shark. I’m as big as a whale!”
“Could I be like you?” said Tiny.
Australia
The little shark swam all the way across the Pacific Ocean. He was very tired when he reached the other side and he stopped just off the beach for a rest.
“Phew,” he said, “that was a long way!”
“G’day sport!” said a voice behind him. ”Can I help you?”
And he turned around to see a big shark in the shallows.
“I’m Tiny and I don’t know what I am,” said the little shark. “What are you?”
“Welcome to Australia mate, I’m Chalky,” said the shark. “I’m a great white,” he added proudly as he puffed out his chest. “I’m big and I’m all white underneath”
“Wow”, said Tiny, “Could I be like you?”
“Don’t think so,” said Chalky. “Not enough teeth!” And he gave Tiny a very toothy grin!
“Goodness,” said Tiny. “You do have a lot of very sharp teeth. They look a little frightening.”
“I know,” said Chalky in a sad voice. “People are always frightened of me. Here I am minding my own business and they keep on trying to chase me away from the beach. Don’t understand it myself. I’m more scared of people than they are of me. I’m really quite nice once you get to know me!”
“I like you,” said Tiny. “What shall I do?”
“Head west and see what you can find.” said Chalky.
“I will, and thank you.”
And the little shark swam on.
“I don’t think you’re a whale shark. Otherwise you’d have a bit of growing to do!”
And he moved away so the little shark could see how massive he was. He was as big as a boat and his whole body was covered in white spots.
“Biggest fish in the sea,” he added proudly.
“Oh, I can see you must be,” said Tiny.
“Don’t worry little one,” said Jacques. “I won’t hurt you. I only eat things much smaller than you! My food is so small I don’t chew it, just swallow it in great… big……gulps……….” And he swallowed several swimming pools of water in one go!
“What shall I do?” asked Tiny.
“Head west and see what you can find,” said Jacques.
“I will, and thank you.”
And the little shark swam on.
“Ooooooh I dooooon’t think soooooooooooooo. Mouth’s not big enough for a staaaaaaaaaaaaaaart,” said Humphrey.
“Oh,” said Tiny sounding a little disappointed. “Why do you need such a big mouth?”
“Aaaaaaaaaaah,” said Humphrey. “I only eat very, very tiny food but I’m a big shark so I need to eat a looooooooooot on one gooooooooooooooooooo, like thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis!”
And Humphrey swam past the little shark with his mouth wide open scooping up water and food as he went. As he went past, Tiny could see how very, very big the basking shark really was.
“Oh. My mouth’s quite little so I guess I must be different,” said Tiny. “What shall I do?”
“Heaaaaaaaad weeeeeeest and seeeeeeeeee what yooooou can fiiiiiiiiiiind,” said Humphrey.
“I will, and thank you,” said Tiny.
And the little shark swam on.
South Africa
The little shark swam around the tip of South Africa.
As he swam past a rock, he saw a small shape flash by and disappear under the rock.
“What was that?” he wondered.
“Hello,” he called. “Is there anyone there?”
“No,” said a little voice.
“But there must be someone there to say “no”,” said the little shark.
“Bother,” said the voice. “I had not thought of that!” And a small face appeared from behind the rock.
“Hello. I’m Tiny and I don’t know what I am,” said the little shark. “What are you?”
“I’m Norman. I’m a shy shark,” said the little face blushing.
“Could I be like you?” asked Tiny.
“I don’t think so,” said Norman. “You’re a lot braver than me. You swim through all the seas of the world. I just stay here. Don’t go far. Ever.”
“Why not?” asked Tiny.
“Because I prefer not to be noticed,” said Norman. “I spend most of my time right here under this rock. It’s a very nice rock you know.”
“I’m sure it is,” said Tiny reassuringly. “Well, nice to meet you but what should I do now?”
“Keep going and good luck!” said Norman. Then he disappeared in a cloud of bubbles.
“I will, and thank you!” said Tiny to the rock.
And the little shark swam on.
England
The little shark carried on and much to his surprise he found his way back to where he started.
“Goodness,” he said. “I have been all around the world. But I still have not found out what I am.”
Suddenly, he heard lots of voices calling out, “There he is! He’s back!” And lots of sharks crowded around him. “Where have you been? We’ve been looking everywhere!”
And he realized he had found his brothers and sisters. They were the same size, same blue colour and had the same long, long nose.
“I have been all around the world!” he said proudly. “I met a basking shark who basks on the water. I met a Caribbean reef shark who guards the Caribbean Reef. I met a hammerhead shark who has a nose like a hammer. I met a great white shark who was big and all white underneath. I met a whale shark who was as big as a whale. And I met a shy shark who hid all day!”
“Goodness!” they said. “You have made a lot of friends.”
“But what am I?” asked the little shark desperately.
“You’re a blue shark, of course!” they chorused.
“Of course!” He said. He looked himself up and down. “I’m all blue but I never would have guessed I was a blue shark!”
The End
Cocos Island, Pacific Ocean
The little shark swam all the way around the tip of South America. The water was so cold down there he had to keep swimming fast to keep warm. After a while he saw a massive island looming up from the sea floor.
“Buenos Dias!” said a voice. “Can I help you?”
“Oh!” said the little shark in surprise. In front of him was the strangest fish he had ever seen.
“My name’s Tiny and I don’t know what I am,” said the little shark. “What are you?”
“I’m Pedro,” said the other shark. “I’m a hammerhead shark. I have a nose shaped like a hammer.”
“I don’t think I’m the same as you,” said Tiny, “I’m sure I would notice if my nose looked like that!” and he squinted at his nose to check.
“All hammerhead sharks have noses like this,” said Pedro. “It’s supposed to help us do our jobs better.”
“What’s your job?” asked Tiny.
“Chief Fish Detector, at your service!” said Pedro.
“Oh, I like fish,” said Tiny.
“So do we,” said Pedro. “Fish are very important for many creatures to eat and this great big nose helps me find them a long way away when I can’t see them. They’re getting harder to find because fishermen take a lot too.”
“Oh,” said Tiny. “What shall I do?”
“Head west and see what you can find,” said Pedro.
“I will, and thank you.”
And the little shark swam on.
Written by Susanna Batchelor
© Copyright 2010. All rights reserved.
By Susanna Batchelor
