The Whale and the Sea Sapphire

A baby whale, desperate for help, sent out clicks. “Can someone help me please? I can’t find my mommy and the fishermen are coming after me on fast ships. They have harpoons.”

“I'll help you,” a small, but confident voice said from his side.

“Who are you?” the baby whale said. "Where are you?"

"I'm a sea sapphire. I am here by your side."

The sea sapphire was so tiny the baby whale could hardly see it.

“It's easy to protect yourself,” the sea sapphire said. "It's simple. Remember... you are transparent.”

“I am not transparent,” the baby whale said.

"You must be," the sea sapphire said, in a know-it-all manner. "Your Mom must have told you. You've forgotten. We are all transparent."

"I'm NOT transparent," the baby whale said. "Why would I be in this predicament otherwise? How can the men see me if I were?"

"Can someone help us please?” the sea sapphire said, after a moment. “I promised to help this baby whale, thinking he could disappear at will, but it turns out he is NOT transparent."

Millions of sea sapphires gathered at once around the baby whale.

"Good grief," they said. "We glitter then we turn off. Everyone can see us and then they can't. They think they see a jewel and then we go poof! But you are not like that, are you? You do not glitter. You don't turn off. Everyone can see you... all the time."

Meanwhile, the ship got closer and closer.

They heard the men yell –

“Look, a baby whale… glittering like a jewel, rainbow-like, golden!”

"Get away from me!" the baby whale said. "You glitter, so the men on the ship can see me better. You're outlining me clearly."

"Outline!" the first sea sapphire said. "OH!"

"Go away!" the baby whale begged.

"No," the sea sapphire said. "Wait. Listen to me!"

"WHAT?" all the sea sapphires asked.

The sea sapphires whispered amongst themselves.

Then they moved in unison.

The ship swerved.

“Where did the baby whale go?” the men said, after a few minutes. “It was glittering moments ago… but then it went that way and then it... disappeared.”

“Ha!” the sea sapphire said, gleefully. "We were glowing! We went that way so you thought the baby whale was going that way. But it was us! Not the baby whale. The baby whale is gone."

Moral of the story: Even if you're very, very small and the problem is very, very big, tackle it. You might just find a way.