Selia On The Shore

By Shirley Walker

Selia, her brother Seaward and sister Shelly played happily in the sea.
They were beautiful shiny black seals. They loved their salty playground
and the crisp moist air above.

One day they were playing near the shore. Selia could see strange
looking animals as they gathered about on the shore. She heard all sorts
of sounds coming from the animals.

The little yellow fluffy ones said, "Quack!" The pink ones said, "Oink!" The
little gray ones with long skinny tails went "Squeak!"

Selia noticed they all made funny, yet different sounds, and that they all
could do what she could not; they could walk upon the sand with no
difficulty.

She watched as all the animals walked this way and that way, back and
forth, again and again. Some had two feet. Some had four. And they all had
legs. Lovely legs. They seemed to be having so much fun. Selia wanted a
closer look, so she swam nearer to the shore.

"Where are you going?" her brother and sister asked.

"I am going to shore and I am going to walk like them." Selia replied.

"You have no legs", they both laughed, "you have no feet. We are walkers
of the seas. You cannot walk on shore."

"Yes I can. I have strong flippers. You will see!" Selia said.

She swam to shore, gracefully waddled nearer to the crowd, and paused.
She stood tall and proud upon her fine shiny flippers. All the animals came
closer to greet her.

" Oink! I am Pinky. What is your name?"

"My name is Selia, and I can walk just like you."

"Quack! We are the Duckies. Where are your legs?" said the yellow ones.

"Squeak! We are the Mousies. Where are your feet?" said the gray ones.

"I will walk with these." Selia said. She proudly held up her flippers for all to
see.

Selia began to dig into the soft sand, again and again. She was moving
along fine, but she did not walk. Not like the others. She could only push
and pull her sleek body with her strong flippers, leaving a long trail behind
instead of footprints.

"Oink! She's not walking. She's... scooting!" said Pinky.

They all started to laugh at Selia. They began to run circles around her,
chanting in unison;

"It just can't be!"
"Go back to sea!"

Selia felt sadder than she could remember. She had tried so very hard to
walk, but now she realized it was a foolish idea to think that she could.

Everyone was right. She had no legs to speak of. She had no feet. How
could she have imagined that she could walk like the others?! With a
burdened heave of her flippers and tail, she turned and headed towards
the open sea to join her brother and sister.

All of a sudden, Pinky bolted right past Selia. "Not only can I walk," he
bragged, "I can run real fast!" He stuck his tongue out at Selia as he
raced by, not looking where he was going.

Before he could stop in time, Pinky tumbled right into the waiting sea. To
his suprise, he began to sink immediately. He squealed frantically as his
legs kicked and pawed, but he was swept futher out into the bubbling sea.

"Quack!" said the Duckies. "He's too heavy. He's a kicker! He'll drown us
all if we try to save him!" they shouted.

"Oh, what are we to do?" squeaked the Mousies.
They all panicked, and began to run around in circles. "Is there anyone
who can save him?" they cried.

Selia quickly dashed into the sea, scampered towards the sinking pig, and
grabbed him by his curly tail. He squealed loudly, kicking Selia with all four
feet. Selia ignored the searing pain, and with all her strength, towed the
heavy, kicking pig back to shore.

"Oink!", said Pinky, "Thank you for saving me, Selia. I kicked with all my
might, but could not walk in the water. I am sorry I teased you. You are by
far, greater than me. You can walk on shore and in the sea."

"Quack! He's saved! Hooray for Selia! A proud walker of shores and
seas."

"Squeak! How neat! Hooray for Selia! A friend for you and a friend for me!"

Selia felt lots of happiness surge through her heart, and it made her feel
warm inside. She realized she'd done something the others could not do,
and she no longer felt envious.

"We are all great for the things that we can do," Selia said proudly.

A big smile began to cover her shiny black face, and the wind tickled her
wire whiskers. She raised both shiny flippers high, clapping thunderously,
while her new friends danced and hugged and sang excitedly around her.
Lounging casually in the tranquil waters, Seaward and Shelly patiently
watched the gala that was happening on the sandy shore.

"Seems little sister learned another lesson today," said Seaward.

"Every day." said Shelly. "We all learn something every day."

Shirley J. Walker
© 1997-1998