The young Otters were playing by the river bank, hiding in the bushes then leaping out on to their playmates - Splash! What a fountain of water spurted upwards.
'Ssh!' said Oriela. 'Great-Grandmama is sleeping, we mustn't disturb her.'
Great-Grandmama was the eldest in their family and greatly respected.
But Great-Gran wasn't sleeping, just dozing in the sunshine.
'Oh, are you awake, Great-Gran?' asked Oscar. 'I hope we didn't wake you.'
'No, not at all' said Great-Gran. 'I was just closing my eyes and thinking.'
'About our favourite story, weren't you?' guessed Lois.
'That's right, our favourite story' and Great-Gran smiled gently as she remembered.
Tell us again' pleaded Rema who was beginning to weary of their game.
'Aren't you tired of hearing it?' chuckled Great-Gran.
'Never!' they shouted.
And this is the story she told:-

'The Garden was beautiful, the trees, the blossom, the fragrance of the flowers - it was perfect. It was the Beginning of Time.' Great-Gran sighed as she remembered the Garden.
'No-one lives there now' she continued. 'But that comes later in my story' so she smiled brightly at all the children. 'One day it will all be perfect again' she said. 'Yes, I'm sure it will.'
'Tell us who you saw, Great-Gran' said Oriela who loved this part of the story.
'I saw the three Holy Ones' Great-Gran answered, her face radiant.
A gasp was heard from the young otters as they pondered on the wonder of what Great Gran had just said. Although they had heard the story many times before it never failed to excite them to hear that their Great Gran had actually seen the Three Holy Ones, and so they wriggled with pride and excitement. Great Gran smiled at their reaction as she continued 'I was one of the first to be created so I had a wonderful time watching the Holy Ones forming the creatures of the seas and rivers,the birds of the forests and woodlands, and the animals of the countryside, desert and snow.'
'It was a time like no other. A time of awesome silence as each perfect creature was created, yet a time when the Garden shook with laughter. Yes, it was an amazing time.'
And as Great-Gran remembered those far-off days she again smiled gently.
'What did you see, Great-Gran?' Oscar prompted her softly.
'Oh, yes, I saw everyone' she said. 'It was such fun, such a happy time. I remember when Heavenly Father created the biggest fish I have ever seen - big enough to swallow a man, I'm sure, and Father said to him "You will be very useful, one day".
Lois shivered. 'I'm glad I've never seen him. I like the little Seahorses best.'
'And there are all the sparkly, bright-coloured fish, aren't there?" said one of the little ones. 'I love to watch those.'
'Yes, like the Clownfish, all orange and white, who live amongst the stinging anemones broke in Rema.
'I like the Archer fish the best' said Oscar. 'I think it's so funny to watch them shooting out streams of water to knock the insects off the branches, and then leap up to catch them' and he rolled over on his back and laughed.
'And what is your favourite fish?' Great-Gran asked Oriela.
'My favourite is the Leafy Sea Dragon' Oriela answered. 'It looks just like a piece of seaweed' and she giggled.
'That's because it lives amongst the seaweed' Great-Gran explained.
'So anyone who wants to catch it wont be able to find it, will they?' said Oscar. 'That's very clever, I think.'
'Of course it is' agreed Great-Gran. The Holy Ones knew exactly what they were doing, and why.'
'OOH!' squealed the young Otters suddenly as two Basilisk Lizards raced across the water right in front of their noses, spraying them with water and squealing with delight.
The Otters watched and shouted 'We'll get our own back' but the Lizards sank into the water and disappeared from sight.
'What do you mean by "getting your own back" Great-Gran asked
'Oh, we wait until we see them walking on the water, and then we blow as hard as we can, and the wave catches them and sends them swishing away' they explained.
'Don't they mind?' asked Great-Gran.
'No' said Zeb. 'They love it, and ask for more.'
Great-Gran chuckled. 'They are mischievous little things, but very lovable. I remember when Jesus created them.'
'Do you?' the young ones asked.
'Yes. He said they were very special as He was making them able to walk on water. They liked that, and when Jesus put them near us they raced off squealing "Only US; Only US"
I looked at Jesus then, and He was smiling. "I wouldn't be too sure about that" He said as he watched them. "No, I wouldn't be too sure of that if I were you" and he laughed as He walked back to the Holy Ones.
'You didn't ask which one I liked best' Zeb reminded them.
'Tell us then, Zeb' they asked.
'I like the Porcupine fish' he announced. 'Especially when they think someone is being nasty to them.'
'Ah, yes' interrupted Rema. 'Then they fill themselves with air or water until they look like balloons, and all their spikes stand out.They look just like a spiky ball.'
'I was going to say that. It was my turn' Zeb said angrily, and he gave Rema a hard push.
'Now, now, that's enough' called Great-Gran. 'No more story if you are going to quarrel.'
'Can I choose another one then, seeing Rema spoilt it all?' asked Zeb.
'Yes, all right, you choose someone else' Great-Gran agreed.
Zeb thought for a moment, then said - 'The Flashlight Fish!'
'Ah, yes' the others nodded, but kept very quiet.
'I think they are very clever, too' Zeb continued.
'All creatures are clever in some way' said Great-Gran. 'Even men and women.'
'Really?!' This did surprise the Otters and Great-Gran chuckled. 'Yes, even men and women' she repeated.
'But the Flashlight fish can see as far as 3Ometres when they switch their lights on' said Zeb. 'And when they are being chased no-one knows where they are going to be next! First they flash here and then they flash over there!' He laughed. 'It must be great fun to have your own flashlight!'
'We've seen them, too!' Everyone looked around, and there were the two Basilisk Lizards sitting on the river bank with cheeky smiles on their faces.
'Oh trust you to have seen them' said Oscar as he smiled back at them.
Yes, we see most things' they said. 'And our favourites are .......well, we were going to say Otters, but we've changed our minds' and they giggled so much they fell over.
'Tea-time' called Mum.
'Oh, not yet, please, we haven't finished our story yet' the young Otters pleaded.
'Don't tell me, let me guess, could it be your favourite story?' asked Mum.
'Quite right' laughed Great-Gran 'And we were just about to hear the Lizards favourite choice.'
'Well, another ten minutes, will that be sufficient time?'
'Great' they all agreed, and they looked at the two Lizards who were waiting to tell them their favourites.
'There are so many we like' began one. 'It really was difficult, but we have chosen the Dolphins.'
'They are so kind' said the second Lizard, 'And so full of fun, I think everyone likes them.'
'A good choice' said Great-Gran. 'I have often talked with them, and watched as they enjoyed leaping out of the water.'
'We have seen children holding on to them and going for a ride' said the first Lizard.
'So have I, they are very friendly creatures, you have chosen well' said Great-Gran. 'And now I suppose it's time for tea.'
'I didn't choose anyone' said Rema. 'Not really.'
'That's right' the others agreed.
'Choose one then, my dear' said Great-Gran gently.
Rema smiled as she looked at them and said 'I like the gentle giant - the Sunfish. He never hurts anyone even though he is so big.'
'He IS big, isn't he - about 3 metres - almost as big as the sun' said Lois as she squinted up into the sky where the sun was shining down on them.
'Now that's a happy note to end on, isn't it?' asked Great-Gran. 'The big, happy Sunfish who never bullies or hurts anyone, and loves to be friends with us all.'
'Tea-time' called Mum again, and with faces as happy and smiling as the sunfish, the Otters swam towards home for their tea.
Elizabeth Aynsley 1995 ©