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The Secret Pool
Posted on December 6, 2010 by Jim
THE SECRET POOL
‘Can we go down to the shore and look for crabs and little fish in the rockpools?
please, Grandpa. It’s such a beautiful sunny day! asked Tayne who was
visiting his Grandpa who lived by the seaside.
‘Of course we can,’ Grandpa answered and hurriedly getting ready they set off,
Tayne carrying his small bucket to hold any creatures he hoped they would
catch.
Clambering over the slippery rocks they came to a pool with lots of little nooks
and crannies in it, ideal for any little fish wishing to hide among the seaweed.
Looking down into the pool Tayne caught sight of something moving slowly
through the water, he had never seen anything like it before. His eyes grew
bigger as he made out the shape of the strange creature, its head was similar
to that of a horse with a pair of big black eyes which never appeared to blink.
Its long thin body which was almost transparent turned up at the end in a curl
to form his tail.
‘What is it, Grandpa?’ Tayne could not take his eyes off the little fellow who
moved along in a jerky motion through the water.
‘ It’s a Seahorse,’ explained Grandpa.
As they talked Tayne was amazed when it was joined by many others.
While they were watching the seahorses made a sudden dash for the
seaweed as long black fish with a huge mouth appeared as if from nowhere
looking for a meal of the Sseahorses. In the panic and dash for safety they
all made it to safety except for the one they had first seen who was much
slower than the rest. Just as he was about to be swallowed up Grandpa’s
hand quickly entered the water and scooped up the hungry black fish.
‘That was a close call!’ Tayne gasped in relief.
As Grandpa put the fish into another pool, he watched the tiny seahorse swim
at last into the safety of the weeds.
‘ He is a right slowcoach that one’ remarked Grandpa to an amused little boy
who had never heard this saying before.
Patiently they waited for the water to settle down again after the rescue.
When it did, the Seahorses came back into view, and last but not least was the
small one they had just rescued.
They spent the next hour watching the Seahorses swimming back and forth
and keeping a good lookout incase any other fish appeared to make a meal of
the beautiful creatures.
‘We must go now before the tide comes in and we are cut off, then we will
not be able to get back on dry land!’ said Grandpa and taking Tayne’s hand he
helped him back across the rocks to the beach.
That night as Tayne fell into a deep sleep there appeared in his dreams the
pool that he had visited. He was even able to enter it and there waiting for him
was the little Seahorse he had seen his Grandpa save.
Greeting the small boy the seahorse told him that he was very grateful to him
and his Grandpa for saving his life earlier that day, and asking the boy his name
which Tayne readily told him, he introduced himself as Slowcoach.
‘That is what all my friends call me, as they say I am always lagging behind, but
to thank you I have been told to show you round the pool, and there is someone I
must take you to meet as he also wants to thank you for what you did today.
Tayne thanked his new friend and followed him into the weeds where he was
amazed to see lots of small people half human and half fish riding on the backs of
Seahorses much bigger than Slowcoach.
‘What are they?’ he asked his friend.
‘They are called Mermaids and Mermen, they keep watch over all the tiny
creatures who live in the pool answered Slowcoach.
Tayne watched in wonder as their long tails covered in green and silver scales
flashed in the sunlight coming from the surface.
‘Late again Slowcoach?’ you had better hurry up as he is waiting for you,’ called
one of the Mermaids.
‘ Who is waiting for us?’ asked Tayne now beginning to get a little worried.
‘Follow me and I will introduce you their is nothing to be afraid of’ his friend
assured him.
Entering a large hole in the rockface the little boy was dumbfounded by the
beautiful surroundings.
The suns rays reflected on the crystals inside the cavern lighting up the walls
with thousands of diffirent colours. Tayne had never seen anything like it,
much better than all the lights he had seen on a visit to the fairground with his
Mummy and Daddy.
Slowcoach led him to the back of the cavern and there was an even more
wondrous sight.
From overhead, through a hole in the rock above a shaft of light struck directly
on to an old man with a long white beard which flowed back and forth with
the tide. In his hand he held a peculiar looking pole with three sharp
menacing prongs on the end.
He was seated on a beautiful throne made out of seashells and on his
head was a crown made of the most beautiful shells and rarest seaweeds,
silver and browns of all shades mixed with the astounding colours from the light
made it a magnificent sight.
His wrinkled face and stern look frightened the small boy and even more so
when in a rumbling voice which echoed round the walls of the cavern he asked
Slowcoach why he was late.
‘I have been showing Tayne around the pool and forgot about the time, I am
very sorry’ he apologised.
‘Do you know who I am?’ bellowed the old man.
N-no-no, Tayne stuttered in fear.
Seeing that he was afraid, the old man allowed a smile to break over his face.
‘I am Neptune, King of all the Seas. I have been told by Slowcoach how you and
your Grandpa saved his life today. I am most grateful. Not all humans are so kind.
That is why there are so few of us left in the sea. Because of your kindness you
may come and visit us anytime you wish and Slowcoach will take care of you.
There is one rule, and you must obey it at all times,” warned the King.
“You may visit us below the waves only in your dreams. You can, of course,
watch us at any time from above in the air of your world, but again only with your
Grandpa, never on your own.
Now you must return to your own world before it is time to wake up. When you
come to visit us again Slowcoach will introduce you to all his friends I am sure
you will enjoy meeting them and you will learn all about life in the pool’.
With that the King dismissed them and Tayne’s dream began to fade as he
fell into a sound and peaceful sleep.
Next morning Tayne woke up rubbing his eyes and wondering if it had really
been a dream. It had seemed so real that he made a promise to himself that he
would never visit the pool unless it was with his Grandpa – or in his dreams.
A few weeks later as they sat by the pool watching the seahorses at play,
Grandpa turned to his Grandson and in a soft voice said, ‘Tayne you must never
tell anyone where the pool is, as some people might come and take away all the
Seahorses and creatures that live in here, and I am sure you would not like that to
happen would you?.
Tayne was horrified to hear this and vowed he would never tell anyone.
‘Grandpa!, will you not make fun of me if I tell you something’?
‘Of course I wont, what makes you think that’, he replied.
Tayne could not hold it back any longer and he poured out the story of his dream.
After he had finished telling his dream he did not see the twinkle in his Grandpa’s eye
or the wistful smile on his face as he remembered his own days as a young boy and
his dreams of the world beneath the waves and a little Seahorse called Slowcoach.
Jim Campbell
Posted on December 6, 2010 by Jim
THE SECRET POOL
‘Can we go down to the shore and look for crabs and little fish in the rockpools?
please, Grandpa. It’s such a beautiful sunny day! asked Tayne who was
visiting his Grandpa who lived by the seaside.
‘Of course we can,’ Grandpa answered and hurriedly getting ready they set off,
Tayne carrying his small bucket to hold any creatures he hoped they would
catch.
Clambering over the slippery rocks they came to a pool with lots of little nooks
and crannies in it, ideal for any little fish wishing to hide among the seaweed.
Looking down into the pool Tayne caught sight of something moving slowly
through the water, he had never seen anything like it before. His eyes grew
bigger as he made out the shape of the strange creature, its head was similar
to that of a horse with a pair of big black eyes which never appeared to blink.
Its long thin body which was almost transparent turned up at the end in a curl
to form his tail.
‘What is it, Grandpa?’ Tayne could not take his eyes off the little fellow who
moved along in a jerky motion through the water.
‘ It’s a Seahorse,’ explained Grandpa.
As they talked Tayne was amazed when it was joined by many others.
While they were watching the seahorses made a sudden dash for the
seaweed as long black fish with a huge mouth appeared as if from nowhere
looking for a meal of the Sseahorses. In the panic and dash for safety they
all made it to safety except for the one they had first seen who was much
slower than the rest. Just as he was about to be swallowed up Grandpa’s
hand quickly entered the water and scooped up the hungry black fish.
‘That was a close call!’ Tayne gasped in relief.
As Grandpa put the fish into another pool, he watched the tiny seahorse swim
at last into the safety of the weeds.
‘ He is a right slowcoach that one’ remarked Grandpa to an amused little boy
who had never heard this saying before.
Patiently they waited for the water to settle down again after the rescue.
When it did, the Seahorses came back into view, and last but not least was the
small one they had just rescued.
They spent the next hour watching the Seahorses swimming back and forth
and keeping a good lookout incase any other fish appeared to make a meal of
the beautiful creatures.
‘We must go now before the tide comes in and we are cut off, then we will
not be able to get back on dry land!’ said Grandpa and taking Tayne’s hand he
helped him back across the rocks to the beach.
That night as Tayne fell into a deep sleep there appeared in his dreams the
pool that he had visited. He was even able to enter it and there waiting for him
was the little Seahorse he had seen his Grandpa save.
Greeting the small boy the seahorse told him that he was very grateful to him
and his Grandpa for saving his life earlier that day, and asking the boy his name
which Tayne readily told him, he introduced himself as Slowcoach.
‘That is what all my friends call me, as they say I am always lagging behind, but
to thank you I have been told to show you round the pool, and there is someone I
must take you to meet as he also wants to thank you for what you did today.
Tayne thanked his new friend and followed him into the weeds where he was
amazed to see lots of small people half human and half fish riding on the backs of
Seahorses much bigger than Slowcoach.
‘What are they?’ he asked his friend.
‘They are called Mermaids and Mermen, they keep watch over all the tiny
creatures who live in the pool answered Slowcoach.
Tayne watched in wonder as their long tails covered in green and silver scales
flashed in the sunlight coming from the surface.
‘Late again Slowcoach?’ you had better hurry up as he is waiting for you,’ called
one of the Mermaids.
‘ Who is waiting for us?’ asked Tayne now beginning to get a little worried.
‘Follow me and I will introduce you their is nothing to be afraid of’ his friend
assured him.
Entering a large hole in the rockface the little boy was dumbfounded by the
beautiful surroundings.
The suns rays reflected on the crystals inside the cavern lighting up the walls
with thousands of diffirent colours. Tayne had never seen anything like it,
much better than all the lights he had seen on a visit to the fairground with his
Mummy and Daddy.
Slowcoach led him to the back of the cavern and there was an even more
wondrous sight.
From overhead, through a hole in the rock above a shaft of light struck directly
on to an old man with a long white beard which flowed back and forth with
the tide. In his hand he held a peculiar looking pole with three sharp
menacing prongs on the end.
He was seated on a beautiful throne made out of seashells and on his
head was a crown made of the most beautiful shells and rarest seaweeds,
silver and browns of all shades mixed with the astounding colours from the light
made it a magnificent sight.
His wrinkled face and stern look frightened the small boy and even more so
when in a rumbling voice which echoed round the walls of the cavern he asked
Slowcoach why he was late.
‘I have been showing Tayne around the pool and forgot about the time, I am
very sorry’ he apologised.
‘Do you know who I am?’ bellowed the old man.
N-no-no, Tayne stuttered in fear.
Seeing that he was afraid, the old man allowed a smile to break over his face.
‘I am Neptune, King of all the Seas. I have been told by Slowcoach how you and
your Grandpa saved his life today. I am most grateful. Not all humans are so kind.
That is why there are so few of us left in the sea. Because of your kindness you
may come and visit us anytime you wish and Slowcoach will take care of you.
There is one rule, and you must obey it at all times,” warned the King.
“You may visit us below the waves only in your dreams. You can, of course,
watch us at any time from above in the air of your world, but again only with your
Grandpa, never on your own.
Now you must return to your own world before it is time to wake up. When you
come to visit us again Slowcoach will introduce you to all his friends I am sure
you will enjoy meeting them and you will learn all about life in the pool’.
With that the King dismissed them and Tayne’s dream began to fade as he
fell into a sound and peaceful sleep.
Next morning Tayne woke up rubbing his eyes and wondering if it had really
been a dream. It had seemed so real that he made a promise to himself that he
would never visit the pool unless it was with his Grandpa – or in his dreams.
A few weeks later as they sat by the pool watching the seahorses at play,
Grandpa turned to his Grandson and in a soft voice said, ‘Tayne you must never
tell anyone where the pool is, as some people might come and take away all the
Seahorses and creatures that live in here, and I am sure you would not like that to
happen would you?.
Tayne was horrified to hear this and vowed he would never tell anyone.
‘Grandpa!, will you not make fun of me if I tell you something’?
‘Of course I wont, what makes you think that’, he replied.
Tayne could not hold it back any longer and he poured out the story of his dream.
After he had finished telling his dream he did not see the twinkle in his Grandpa’s eye
or the wistful smile on his face as he remembered his own days as a young boy and
his dreams of the world beneath the waves and a little Seahorse called Slowcoach.
Jim Campbell