How Lennie, the Leafy Sea Dragon, became Brave - II

Did you know leafy sea dragons are found in the waters off the western/southern Australian coast only? They live close to the reefs, seaweeds, and seagrass. They are 12 – 14 inches in length. They don't have a stomach nor teeth, but a thin snout through which they suck up their prey (mostly krill).

They live alone - except when it is time to breed. A male leafy sea dragon’s tail turns yellow when he is ready to become a papa. The female leafy sea dragon produces 250 – 300 bright pink eggs which she deposits on the male’s tail.

Leafy sea dragons can bring as much as 10,000$ per head because they are so rare and hard to capture. They are considered threatened. Read about leafy sea dragons here.

We wrote this bedtime story because the leafy sea dragons looked so gentle and fragile and beautiful. We wanted to make him strong and brave. Lennie IS a 'lion-heart'. We love him.

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Meanwhile Greta was in a state. “What am I going to do?” Greta whispered. “How will I bring Lennie back? What can a tiny leafy sea dragon do??” Greta bobbed from sea weed tangle to sea weed tangle. “Why do humans catch US? Why can’t they catch each other?”

“I know someone who could help,” a small voice said from behind Greta.

"What?" Greta asked. "Who are you?"

“My name is Lilly. I’m the one who gave my eggs to Lennie. I saw what happened. I’ve an idea. If you want to save him, I mean. I like Lennie. I want to save him."

“What idea?” Greta said. “Tell me.”

“Follow me.”

“Where?" Greta said. "We have to hurry.”

“I know! I know! We’re so slow!” Lilly said. “Why are are the slowest of all fish in the ocean? We have ONE fin. We're upright. We're small. We’re slower than slow. Oh, I hope he does not wake up. I hope he is still asleep. I really don't want him to wake up."

“Who are you talking about?” Greta said. “We better hurry. Else, Lennie will give up hope."

Lilly took Greta to the entrance of a cave. Greta saw what was inside and froze. It belonged to a monster - a Tasmanian Giant Crab - and he was NOT asleep, as Lilly had been hoping. No. The crab had just woken up from a nap and looked like he had a headache. He looked sleepy and exceedingly bad-tempered.

“HIM?" Greta squeaked. “HIM? HE WILL EAT US before

we finish telling him what we want!”

“HEY!” the Tasmanian Giant Crab said, immediately turning around. “I'm hungry. Come on here!” Saying that the Tasmanian Crab clicked his claws, one of which was as big as his body. "I've a headache and not in a good mood. Come, unless you want me to chase you."

“Now what?” Greta squeaked. "He is awake. He has seen us. He wants to eat us."

"Wait," Lilly stammered. "Let me think. Hey! Monster Face! Can you can catch us?"

“Huh?” The Tasmanian Giant Crab clicked his claws. “What did you say? Catch you?”

“Yes!” Lilly said. “Just T-T-TRY.”

The Tasmanian Giant Crab gave a snarl and shot after them.

“Nice!” Greta said, shrieking. "What's the plan? Take him to Lennie? But he will catch us!"

“YES!” Lilly said, panting. “I've a plan. Let us hang on to this seaweed!” Lilly twisted her tail to loop it around a floating sea weed. Greta did the same her. The weed sloshed around with the waves and got swept up in a giant wave, but Greta and Lilly hid in it and hung on.

The Tasmanian Giant Crab couldn't find them as they were camouflaged so well amidst the sea weeds. He searched and followed, but the waves propelled the sea weed forward and it carried Greta and Lilly, who finally reached the net in which Lennie was imprisoned.

"Let's to the other side!" Greta said. "Quick. Come on."

The Tasmanian Giant Crab, slashed through the net, trying to get to Greta and Lilly.

“STOP!” The human said, swinging his arms, trying to grab the leafy sea dragons. “THAT IS MY LEAFY SEA DRAGON! TOOK ME FOREVER TO CATCH HIM. WHAT are YOU doing?”

“Those are my leafy sea dragons," the Tasmanian Giant Crab said. "What are YOU doing?”

“I was going to SELL him!”

“I was going to EAT them!”

"Them?"

"There are three, you block-head!" the Giant Tasmanian Crab said. "Not one, but three."

The more they fought, the more waves they made, and the less they could see. In the chaos and churning waves and sea weed, Lennie swam out of the net. “Free at last!” he said. "Oh, you! You are the one who gave me the eggs. Would you believe I hatched all of them?"

“THIS IS NO TIME FOR NICETIES!” Greta shrieked. "Lennie! Hang on to the sea weed!"

---

Two days later, after Lennie, Greta, and Lilly had recovered from their adventures, they met again and rounded up the two hundred and fifty kids. Lilly introduced herself to them and named them until she had given a name to all. It took her a long time as two hundred and fifty names (starting with L) was difficult indeed.

Greta created new sea weed tangles so the kids would live and eat close by.

The kids loved her and called her Aunt Greta.

Lennie was no longer an anxious leafy sea dragon. He was different now. He was also in love. Every day he entwined his tail with Lilly’s tail and they went for a stroll around the tangle.

“Well,” Lennie said to himself one day. “I’ve changed. Haven’t I?”

“Yes,” Greta and Lilly smiled. “You have.”

"I guess," Lennie said, thoughtfully. "Hatching those eggs was a good thing after all."