Tara the Turtle Who Hated the Water

Chapter 1: The Dry Turtle

Tara was a tiny turtle who lived in a large turtle village called Shelltown, nestled by the edge of a beautiful blue lake.

There was just one problem.

Tara hated water.

Every morning, the turtle kids would dive, splash, and race across the lake. But Tara? She sat on the rocks, dry as toast, reading storybooks or drawing with sticks in the sand.

“Tara, come swim!” the others called.

“I’m fine here,” she’d reply with a nervous smile. “Water’s too cold. And… splashy.”

Her parents tried to help. They bought her floaties. They gave her swimming lessons. They even made a warm turtle-sized wetsuit.

Still, Tara stayed dry.

Chapter 2: The Great Lake Games

Each spring, Shelltown held the Great Lake Games—a day full of races, flips, and floating parades. All turtles had to participate.

Tara trembled. “Do I have to swim?”

Her teacher, Ms. Ripple, nodded kindly. “You can try the shallow events. It’s not about winning—it’s about being brave.”

Tara gulped. “I’ll think about it.”

That evening, she sat by the shore, watching her reflection ripple in the moonlight.

A dragonfly buzzed past. Then another. Then—a shout!

“Help! Help!”

A small baby turtle, Pip, had wandered too far chasing the dragonflies and had slipped into the deep water.

No one else noticed.

Only Tara saw.

Chapter 3: A Choice

Tara panicked. She had never swum in her life. The water seemed huge. Cold. Unknown.

But Pip was splashing and sinking.

Her heart thumped.

“I can’t swim. But I can’t not help.”

She ripped off her sandals, waddled to the edge… and jumped.

SPLASH!

Cold rushed over her shell. Her eyes stung. Her limbs flailed.

But then—she floated.

She remembered the lessons. Front foot. Back kick. Breathe.

And slowly, shakily—she swam.

She reached Pip and grabbed his tiny hand. “It’s okay. I’ve got you.”

With the help of a current and her kicking legs, she brought him back to the shore.

Cheers erupted.

“Tara! You did it!”

Chapter 4: Turtle Fame

The next morning, Tara was a hero.

Pip’s mom brought her cookies. Ms. Ripple gave her a golden shell sticker. Even the mayor invited her to lead the Turtle Parade.

“But… I’m still scared of swimming,” Tara admitted.

“That’s okay,” Ms. Ripple said. “Being brave doesn’t mean never being scared. It means doing the right thing even when you are.”

From then on, Tara practiced swimming in small steps. First paddling. Then diving. Then playing tag in the shallow water.

Each day, she grew a little stronger. A little more confident.

And a lot more proud.

Chapter 5: The Splash Queen

By the next Great Lake Games, Tara didn’t just join the race—she won.

Not because she was the fastest.

But because she helped another turtle, cheered for everyone, and even taught Pip how to float on his back.

The crowd clapped. Tara beamed.

The announcer shouted, “This year’s Splash Queen is… TARA THE TURTLE!”

Tara waved from a seashell float, wearing a crown made of reeds and lily petals.

She still liked books, drawing, and warm rocks.

But now, she liked water too.

Not because it was perfect.

But because she had faced it—and learned she could swim through anything.

🐢 Moral of the Story:

Bravery isn't about being fearless—it's about doing what's right, even when you're afraid.