How to Impress a Coconut Octopus!

This is repost of a story we posted a year (or two) ago. We've copied and pasted it here:

Once upon a time, in a deep, dark corner of the ocean, far below the surface, there lived a little yellow Dumbo octopus, whose name was Grimpi.

Grimpi was very cute and very sweet and very, very shy. She lived alone. She ate alone. Slept alone. Floated alone. Grimpi was very special, but she did not knowthat she was special.

And so, life went on until one day, Grimpi felt lonely and wanted a friend.

So, Grimpi decided to go up to a world she had heard a lot about, but never seen.

So, Grimpi floated up… and up… and up. She lived 15,000 feet under sea level, which is very deep indeed, so she had a long way to go.

She rose until she reached a shallow, sandy area with a lot of sunlight.

And Grimpi saw a very strange sight.

Scattered on the sandy floor were half-coconut shells. And among them was a maroon-colored octopus, who was looking very frustrated.

“Hello!” Grimpi said, shyly. “I’m Grimpi.”

“I’m Rusty! But please don’t talk to me and don’t distract me! Coconut shells everywhere… but currents are so swift I cannot grab any of them. Oh, mercy me! What am I going to do?”

“Are you chasing the coconut shells?” Grimpi asked. “Why do you want coconut shells?”

“I’m a coconut octopus - that’s why!” Rusty yelled, as if it were most obvious.

“What kind of octopus is that?” Grimpi asked, bewildered.

“Mercy me!” Rusty said, wringing his tentacles. “Since the time we have been talking, three more shells have floated away. Help me. Pick up that shell over there and walk with me.”

“But…” Grimpi said. “Octopuses don’t walk. Octopuses don’t pick up coconut shells.”

“I can. I do. That’s why they call me a coconut octopus. What kind of octopus are you?”

“Dumbo octopus,” Grimpi said.

“Dumb octopus?”

“Dumbo!” Grimpi said. “Not dumb. I’ve large fins on my head that look like large ears.”

“Strange name!” Rusty said. “Strange fins! Anyway. Can you pick up coconut shells?”

“I don’t know,” Grimpi said, doubtfully. “I can try.”

“Oh, do try! It’s simple! Look, I’ll show you!” Rusty picked up a shell with two tentacles and walked on the remaining six. Then he picked up another using four tentacles and walked on the other four. Then he climbed inside a half shell and pulled the other half over his head. “I need the shells to HIDE. I keep them handy, stored here and there, so I can dive into one if I need it. Now you try.”

Grimpi was doubtful. But she tried. She fell down. She tried again. And again.

Finally, Grimpi covered her eyes with her tentacles and rolled herself into a ball. She wanted to make a friend, but now she felt sostupid. Out of place. She was embarrassed.

“Look,” Grimpi said. “I live deep down and I floated up using my ears, I mean, fins. I'm no good at picking up shells and I can’t walk on my tentacles. This was a mistake. Goodbye."

“What?” Rusty said, peering out of his shell. “Where did you say you lived?”

“Deep under the ocean.”

“Mercy me! Did you come all the way from there? Floated up using your fins? Few can live in the deep, Grimpi. The water pressure would kill us. Crush us into a pancake! No wonder you don’t need shells. You’re amazing!”

“What?” Grimpi said, peeping out. “Did you say I'm...?”

“Amazing!” Rusty said. He smiled. “Want to be friends?”