Ellie the eel was a very wiggly, very worried little eel. Tonight was her first night sleeping away from her mama, in the beautiful Coral Cove. All the other little eels were already tucked into their cozy seaweed beds, but Ellie couldn’t seem to settle. The Coral Cove was *different* than her cozy rock crevice back home. It was bigger, brighter, and full of strange, bubbly sounds.
“What if I get lost?” she worried, twisting and turning. “What if a grumpy pufferfish bumps into me? What if I can’t find my way back to Mama?” She peeked out from behind a large purple coral fan and saw Finley, a little seahorse, looking sad. Finley was trying to build a tower of tiny shells, but they kept tumbling down.
Ellie, forgetting her own worries for a moment, wiggled over to Finley. “Need some help?” she asked. Finley looked up, surprised. “Oh! Yes, please. I want to make a castle, but I can’t get the shells to stay.” Ellie, being long and flexible, carefully used her body to steady the shells while Finley placed them. Soon, a beautiful little shell castle stood proudly on the sandy bottom.
Finley beamed. “Thank you, Ellie! You’re a very good builder!” Ellie felt a warm glow inside. Helping Finley had made her feel…braver. She realized that even though she was different – long and wiggly while Finley was small and floaty – they could still be friends and help each other.
Just then, Old Man Tiber, a wise sea turtle, swam by. He noticed Ellie looking anxious. “Having trouble settling in, little one?” he asked kindly. Ellie explained her worries. Old Man Tiber chuckled. “The Coral Cove seems big and scary at first, but it’s full of friendly faces. And remember, Ellie, your wiggles aren’t something to be worried about. They’re what make you *you*! They help you explore and find cozy spots others can’t reach.”
He pointed with his flipper to a small opening in a bright orange sponge. “See that? A perfect little nook for a wiggly eel like yourself.” Ellie wiggled into the sponge, and it was perfect! It was soft, safe, and just the right size. She could still peek out and see the twinkling lights of the Coral Cove.
Finley swam over and wished Ellie goodnight. Other little eels waved hello. Ellie realized Old Man Tiber was right. The Coral Cove wasn’t so scary after all. It was full of kindness and new friends. She closed her eyes, wiggled happily, and drifted off to sleep, dreaming of shell castles and bubbly adventures. She knew, even when things felt new, she could be brave and find her place.
And as she slept, she remembered her mama’s words: “Your wiggle is your strength, Ellie. Use it to explore, to help, and to find your own cozy corner in the world.”