The Seaweed Monsters

Animosh had plans to go swimming one day and it always took some doing as Animosh did not like seaweed. What ever did he have to be afraid of he thought. It just gives me the creeps he told his mother. "Oh, you will be fine," said his mother. "Go swimming now and don't you be lazy Animosh!" As he got closer to the lake he felt a bit anxious. It wouldn't be a problem on this sandy beach. The beach was called Sandy Beach after all.

So, once he was ready for a swim, he stepped in the water. Then all of a sudden he could feel a slippery slime on his foot. He immediately felt like he was being attacked by something in the water, so he quickly climbed on a very small floating raft in the water. The only problem with the raft is it had a mouse on one side of the raft, so he quickly flicked it off and it disappeared. Animosh was sure that there was some kind of seaweed monster in the water that had gobbled up Mr. Mouse. As Animosh was struggling really hard to keep all of him on the raft, he noticed the fog was rolling in, and it was as thick as split pea soup. Now what would he do? While he was watching the fog roll in he didn't notice the mouse climbing back on the raft right behind him.

Mr. Mouse just happened to brush Animosh on the leg and he thought for sure it was the seaweed monster and he kicked his leg and Mr. Mouse went flying. He was up in the air and next thing he knew he had landed on the sandy beach. Animosh saw what he had done and regretted his treatment of Mr. Mouse. As he apologized to Mr. Mouse, he noticed the fog was getting closer and soon he would not be able to see Mr. Mouse. He told Mr. Mouse that he thought he was being touched by the Seaweed Monster and he kicked Mr. Mouse by accident. He decided he would ask Mr. Mouse for help to get him to shore. Mr. Mouse wasn't sure how he could help but he knew that if it was him out on the raft and their were Seaweed monsters everywhere and a thick fog that would make it impossible to see anything, then he would be asking for help too.

They decided together that Mr. Mouse would go for help. But when he got back with help he could not see Animosh and the fog had gone back out and Mr. Mouse thought for sure the seaweed monster had taken Animosh. Animosh had begged him to hurry. He said, he wouldn't be able to stay close to shore forever. As Mr. Mouse and Mr. Cat stood crying on shore for Animosh, Mr. Cat was tapped on the shoulder and asked what was going on and why were they crying. Mr. Cat started to explain that their friend Animosh was eaten by the seaweed monster and they were too late to save him. Animosh laughed and said, "Friend, I was pushed to shore by the wind that came up and blew the fog in. It blew me in too. Thank you Mr. Mouse and Mr. Cat for coming back to save me. I will never forget how you tried to save me from the seaweed monsters!" Then he asked them to please stay out of the water until the seaweed monsters are caught.

The very next time Mr. Mouse, Animosh and Mr. Cat went together to Sandy Beach there were signs posted to watch out for the seaweed monsters. The word had spread that there were seaweed monsters that had almost killed Mr. Mouse, Animosh and Mr. Cat. And to this day there are still those who anxiously watch for and fear the seaweed monsters. Be very careful the next time you are at the lake.