Long ago, there lived a man like no other. He’d spend all day sitting on the rocky beach, watching the waves roll in. How he longed to swim, and explore the sea’s vast depths. Alas, he’d drown if he tried. And so, despite not being religious, he resorted to prayer.
He prayed, and prayed, and prayed, until one day—his prayers were answered. He leapt off into the water, its beautiful blue color staining his skin a similar shade. Gone were his limbs, in their places fins and a tail. With his newfound abilities, he spent years exploring his ocean, and discovering its secrets; until, he eventually began to grow tired, and weary from the ocean’s lack of light, and its thickness, wetness. He yearned to touch the sky once more, the cool wind against him, to fly like the birds he saw through the sad haze of blues and greens, creating by the very water that surrounds him.
With its baby blues, and plush grey clouds; its magnificent backdrop of snow-covered mountains and its tall, emerald green trees. He begged the gods to let him, to give him the ability to see his home once more, without the distortion caused by the ocean’s currents.
The gods took pity on the homesick mammal, and agreed to grant him one last favor. With much enthusiasm and glee, he took to the sky once more, reveling in the feel of the cold crisp wind, and the beautiful reds and oranges of the sunset.
He laughed, chirping, as men, and women, and children, all gaped at him in wide-eyed, open-mouthed wonder. The beautiful blue creature that leapt from the sea, and flew in the air. He saw among them, people who he’d long since known—his family he’d abandoned, and the ones who’d picked on him for his obsession with his beloved sea. If only they knew. He saw then, behind them, the gorgeous snowy mountains of his homeland, and the grown, luscious emerald trees he was so fond of, taking their place as the perfect backdrop. He held no regrets.
In front of them, was his beautiful ocean, expanding and receding on the rocky shore, pushing dark colored seaweed onto the rocky beach, where he’d spent most of him time.
With a graceful turn, he fell back into the water, splashing and making ripples around him. He felt wonderful, and proud, marveling at how it was that he was the only mammal, to have both the abilities to swim and to fly—the only one to be able to enjoy the wonders of both worlds. Finally, he was content.
And so, with a smile, Delphinus went to sleep.
Finally, he was at peace.
And then he woke up.
