On a beautiful morning in a vibrant ocean, where sunlight danced on waves and fish played gleefully, lived a gentle turtle named Tina. She was well-known for her kindness and wisdom, and everyone loved her. One day, while meeting her friends, she overheard two fish discussing an exciting shipwreck just beyond the coral reef.
“They say there is a treasure trove with jewels of every color and gold coins everywhere!” exclaimed one fish.
“How wonderful it would be to find that treasure!” Tina thought, her heart fluttering at the possibility of such an adventure.
Soon after, all her friends were talking excitedly, planning to explore the shipwreck the following day. Everyone except Tina, who felt a little sad.
“If I join them, I might find it before they do,” she thought selfishly.
The next day, bright and early, all the ocean creatures gathered at the coral reef. Fish, octopuses, crabs, and even a friendly dolphin joined the expedition. But Tina, through the haze of her sinful thoughts, decided to leave before everyone else.
“I’ll get there first,” she proclaimed to no one in particular.
Tina swam gracefully through the ocean, passing by the corals and waving at her creature friends happily playing around them, but deep down, she knew she was alone.
What joy is there in finding treasure if no one is there to share it with you?
Then, not too far ahead, she saw her friend Pat the octopus carrying a big bag on her back with her eight arms.
“Hi, Tina!” called Pat as she came closer. “How are you today?”
“Oh, you’ve no idea, Pat!” replied Tina. “I am off to find a treasure! Would you care to come with me?”
“Then we shall go together!” replied Pat, her big bag swaying gently from side to side.
Soon they spotted Glim the dolphin leaping in and out of the water. He came swimming over joyously to meet his friends.
“Hi, best buddies!” he chirped excitedly. “What are you up to this beautiful morning?”
“Oh Glim!” cried Tina. “We are off to find a treasure! Come with us!”
“It will be more fun together!” added Pat.
Soon the three friends reached a big bubble floating in the water. Inside, viewing devices were hopping up and down all the time.
“In beauteous areas, treasures may you find!” said the creature living within the bubble mysteriously.
“Oh, please,” said Tina eagerly. “Could you show us the way to the treasure just beyond the coral reef?”
“Cling on tight, and off you’ll go,” said the creature while trying to pick the happy friends up with its many arms.
Then the big bubble started moving really fast! So fast, in fact, that even Glim could not keep up! They passed splendid coral gardens and fun fields of dancing seaweed and happy fish until they reached the treasure.
“Oh my!” cried Tina in surprise, pointing ahead with her flipper.
There, spread out before them, was a whole area filled with bright colored corals that looked exactly like jewels catching sunlight and sparkling everywhere!
“Look at those corals!” cried Tina in delight. “They’re beautiful!”
“They’re even brighter and lovelier than jewels and treasure!” exclaimed Pat.
“And we can even take some home to share with those who couldn’t come!” added Glim excitedly.
Tina stopped and took a deep breath. Whenever someone achieved something wonderful or found something precious, she always loved to share the joy with her friends.
“But I knew of this treasure before everyone else, and if I’d told no one of it, how rich I would have been,” she sighed quietly.
But just then, her two friends took her flippers into their arms and said, “You are rich, Tina!
Everyone is here for you to share the happiness with! A treasure means nothing if you are all by yourself! Who will you then share it with?”
Tina smiled. And because of her loving heart, she truly was the richest of them all.
Suddenly, the treasure of corals seemed like a little gift compared to the treasure of friends that Tina had discovered that day.
“Ah,” she thought happily, as she danced with her friends in bright coral gardens, swirling around sparkling reefs, “Real treasure is friendship.”