The Little Blue Pond

Once- and I know that is the word that usually begins fables and fairy tales- there was a land. It was far, far away (don't ask how far away for I can't recall, this was a great many years ago) there lived a child. And now we begin our story.

This child was named Kimball. He had nothing against his name; it always was his name and always would be. Kimball couldn't change that. He didn't want to. But he did want to change himself. One day Kimball came home and told his father, "Father, I want to change who I am." His father thought, and thought, and thought for quite some time. Finally he told his son, "There is a little blue pond in a little green grove in the big brown desert. If you want to change who you are, you need to go to the pool and spin around and around and around until you cannot remember the names of the trees in the grove. Then you will be a new person."
So Kimball went to the big brown desert and looked for the little blue pond in the little green grove. Along the way he met his friend, Hare, who talked in those days, as many animals did.
"Kimball," said Hare, "Why are you all the way out here in the big brown desert?"
And Kimball answered, "I am looking for the little blue pond in the little green grove in the big brown desert so that I can change who I am. Do you know where the little blue pond is?"
Hare flittered and tittered around, as he often did in those days, and still does now, and answered, "Along my way from home, which as you know is a long, long way from here; I saw a little blue pond in a little green grove. Could that have been the same little blue pond in the same little green grove that you are looking for?"
"Yes, Hare. I believe it could have been the same little blue pond that I am looking for. Thank you."
Again Hare flittered and tittered, and said, "Kimball, let me come with you! I can flitter and titter in front of you, and dart around and see dangers for a thousand yards away, even under the earth! And besides that, I want to change who I am, too. I am too fast and often talk and walk far ahead of those around me. I wish I could be just as you are, Kimball." Kimball was a nice boy, and besides that, Hare was his friend.
"Okay, Hare. You can come with me to the little blue pond in the little green grove in the big brown desert." And they set off again.

A little while later, when they had found the little green grove in the big brown desert, they came upon their friend, Snake.
"Kimball," said Snake, "Why are you here in the little green grove in the big brown desert?" and Kimball answered, "I am looking for the little blue pond in the little green grove in the big brown desert. We have found the little green grove. Do you know where the little blue pond is?"

Snake slithered and slunk, as snakes often did, and still do today, and said,
"As I came from my home in the tall trees, which as you know is very high in the sky, I saw a little blue pond in this little green grove in the big brown desert. Could it have been the same little blue pond you are looking for?"
"Yes, Snake. I think that could have been the same little blue pond that I am looking for. Thank you, Snake." Again Snake slithered and slunk, and said, "Let me come with you! I can keep all the big ugly hunters away! And besides that, I want to change who I am, too. I wish I had arms and legs and hands and feet so I could walk and climb. I wish I could be just like you, Kimball." Kimball was a nice boy, and besides that, Snake was his friend. "Okay, Snake. You can come with Hare and me to the little blue pond in the little green grove in the big brown desert." and Kimball, Hare, and Snake set off again.

A little while later they came upon the little blue pond in the little green grove in the big brown desert. In the pond was their good friend Fish. "Kimball," said Fish, "Why are you here in my little blue pond in the little green grove in the big brown desert?" and Kimball answered, "I am looking for the little blue pond in the little green grove in the big brown desert. We have found the little blue pond. Now we are going to spin around and around and around until we do not know the names of the trees and we will be different." Fish swam and jumped, as fish often do, and still do today, and said,
"Let me change with you! I want to change who I am, too. I swam down a creek leading to this pond many years ago, but the creek dried up and now I cannot go back to my family. I would wish for legs to go back and see my family again. I wish I could be just like you, Kimball." Kimball was a nice boy, and besides that, Fish was his friend. "Okay, Fish. You can change with Hare and Snake and me in the little blue pond in the little green grove in the big brown desert."

Hare was first to go into the pond. He went into the pond and spun around and around and around until he couldn't remember the names of the trees. He came back out much larger. He tried to speak, but his voice was so slow no one could understand him. He couldn't see so far anymore, and his legs felt like all the sands of the big brown desert were holding him down. Hare was sad that he had changed. Snake was next to change. He went into the pond and spun around and around and around until he couldn't remember the names of the trees and came out with hundreds of skinny little arms and legs. Snake tried to stand, but fell over because his legs were not strong enough. And now the predators laughed at him and he could not bite them. Snake was sad he had changed. Fish was already in the pond, and he was ready to leave. He spun around and around and around until he couldn't remember the names of the trees. Fish left the pond and could breathe the air of the land, but got hot, very quickly. His skin itched and burned and he went back into the water, but very soon he had to come back out, for his gills were gone. Fish was sad he had changed. When Kimball was about to go into the pond, he stopped. He looked at all of his friends and how sad they were.
"I can see how unhappy you all are. Why would I be any happier?" Kimball realized what talents he and all of his friends had as themselves. Kimball put all his friends back in the pond and spun them around and around and around until they couldn't remember the names of the trees, and they were exactly how they liked to be.

THE END

The moral of this story is that you shouldn’t
be someone you aren’t.

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