Once upon a time, deep in a quiet river, lived a little eel named Slither. Slither was long and smooth and very, very good at wiggling. He loved his home, swimming between the smooth pebbles and waving riverweed.
A bit further downstream, near a place where the river gurgled around some big, round stones, lived Slither's friend, Ribbit the frog. Slither often wished it was easier to visit Ribbit, but those gurgling stones looked a little tricky to get past.
One sunny afternoon, feeling brave and friendly, Slither decided he would try to visit Ribbit. With a determined wiggle, he set off, following the gentle current downstream. He glided past sleepy fish and tickled the toes of a shy snail.
Soon, he could hear the gurgling sound of the stones ahead. The water swirled a little faster here, and the big, smooth rocks stood like sleepy giants in the riverbed. It looked a bit like a puzzle.
Slither felt a tiny flutter of nerves, but then he remembered how wonderfully slippery he was. Being an eel meant he could squeeze and slide through small spaces that other river creatures might find difficult. His unique shape was perfect for this rocky part of the river.
Taking a deep breath of river water, Slither began to wiggle. He slid between one stone, letting the water push him gently. He weaved around another, his smooth skin helping him glide. It wasn't scary at all! It was like playing a fun, slippery game.
With a final happy wiggle, Slither popped out past the gurgling stones and saw Ribbit waiting on a big, green lily pad, giving a welcoming *ribbit*!
Slither wiggled right up to the edge of the lily pad, and he and Ribbit spent the rest of the afternoon chatting about river life and watching fluffy clouds drift by overhead.
As the sun began to dip low, painting the sky in soft shades of orange and pink, Slither said goodbye to his friend. He felt happy and a little bit proud. He had used his special eel wiggles to get past the tricky stones and visit Ribbit.
Wiggling gently back home through the calm evening water, Slither knew that being a slippery, wiggling eel was just right for him. It helped him see his friends and explore his wonderful river home. And soon, the little eel drifted off to sleep, dreaming of all the places his wiggles could take him.