February 23, 2025 • 45 mins
A boy celebrates his birthday at the aquarium, and is surprised with a magical gift.
Narrated by: Thomas Jones
Written by: Chase Doan
Welcome to Snuggle! The best kid's story-telling podcast. Enter a cozy world of imagination perfect for bedtime, quiet time, or any time you want to embark on an enchanting adventure.
Learn more at slumberstudios.com/snuggle
To enjoy ad-free listening, start your 7-day free trial of Snuggle Premium: https://snuggle.supercast.com/
Narrated by: Thomas Jones
Written by: Chase Doan
Welcome to Snuggle! The best kid's story-telling podcast. Enter a cozy world of imagination perfect for bedtime, quiet time, or any time you want to embark on an enchanting adventure.
Learn more at slumberstudios.com/snuggle
To enjoy ad-free listening, start your 7-day free trial of Snuggle Premium: https://snuggle.supercast.com/
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Welcome to Snuggle Cozy Stories for kids. This episode is
called Dorian's Magical Sea Dragon. Snuggle is a production of
Slumber Studios. To listen ad free and support the show,
sign up for our premium feed. Hey, my friend, thank
(00:28):
you so much for joining me again. If you don't
already know, my name is Tom and I'm so glad
to have your company for story time. This is my
favorite part of the day, and I hope you love
it just as much as I do. I'll be reading
(00:49):
to you again today. And if you've ever visited an aquarium,
it's possible that you might have seen a sea dragon
swimming around. But have you ever wondered what it would
be like to have a sea dragon as a pet. Well, shortly,
(01:10):
a boy named Dorian is about to find out just
what that's like after he receives a unique birthday gift
from his parents. Before we hear it, make sure you're
settled in, nice and snug. Relax all the muscles in
(01:33):
your face, then your arms and hands, your chest, belly
and back, and even your legs and feet nicely done.
(02:00):
Now we're ready to listen, So let's begin our dreamy
aquatic adventure with Dorian. It was Dorian's seventh birthday. It
(02:30):
had the most wonderful party at the aquarium, seeing all
of the amazing creatures. Dorian was fascinated by fish and
the ocean. It always loved being at his family's beach
house more than anywhere else. There he could wander along
(02:58):
the beach and swim in the waves and see some
of the creatures that lived in the ocean. But he
only ever caught a glimpse of the creatures near the shore.
On the beach, he spotted crabs in the sand and
(03:20):
pods of dolphins off the coast. Dorian had always longed
to see the creatures of the deep, and he wanted
to see them in person, not just on the pages
of a book or magazine. Today he was finally able
(03:46):
to do just that. He had his fill of oceanic wonders,
and without having to travel far. There was no need
to go all the way to the Great Barrier Reef
in Australia, though one day he hoped to visit. This afternoon,
(04:13):
Dorian's parents were able to grant one of his deepest
wishes simply by taking him to the public aquarium in
the city. It had never visited one before, so he
was in for quite a surprise when he realized that
(04:37):
some of the most amazing fish on the planet resided
there at the aquarium. There were even some of the
creatures he had always longed to see and learn about.
During his visit, he saw schools of neon colored fish
(05:01):
and several polka dotted stingrays, and there was a cute
family of penguins who looked as though they were wearing tuxedos.
There was even a tank of reef sharks on the ceiling.
(05:23):
The sharks passed overhead while Dorian and his friends watched
and stunned silence below. The trip to the aquarium really
was the perfect birthday present. Dorian went from exhibit to exhibit,
(05:47):
spending more time at each one than the other children.
Seeing the aquatic creatures in their respective habitats and watch
their behavior in person was immensely fulfilling. It was so
much better than watching things on TV or reading about them.
(06:16):
The sizes and proportions were all so different from what
he'd expected. Dorian had seen many images of coral reefs,
but viewing one up close with his own eyes, with
all of its stunning, vibrant colors was something else. The
(06:44):
fish moved so gracefully, and the sharks in particular, they
glided through the water much like the birds in the sky.
Dorian wanted to see day and watch for as long
as possible. There had also been tanks full of all
(07:10):
sorts of creatures that he had never even heard of before,
like sea cucumbers and starfish. Their names were spot on,
thought Dorian. That was exactly what they looked like. Dorian
(07:34):
decided then and there that one day he would live
near the ocean and become a marine biologist or find
a job that would enable him to learn more about
these creatures. He could think of nothing better than studying
(07:56):
everything about them and helping to protect them. At the aquarium,
he learned that, for various reasons, the numbers of some
of these creatures were dwindling. He also discovered that some
(08:18):
fish and sea creatures were kept as pets, when what
they really needed was the space to roam freely as
nature intended. Of course, the tanks in the aquarium were different.
(08:39):
These exhibits were there to protect the species, but on
the whole, Dorian thought it was better for the creatures
to be free if possible, and people needed to do
more to cherish and protect all the species of the sea.
(09:05):
Dorian wanted to make the world a better place, and
one day he hoped to see more creatures in the ocean.
Maybe he would even be able to swim with some
of these sea creatures if he was really lucky. After
(09:29):
Dorian and his friends and family had seen every exhibit,
the birthday party continued with a dinner of pizza. They
played a few rounds of ocean themed arcade games, and
finally left right as the aquarium was set to close.
(09:57):
The evening was calm and cool. As everyone went home,
the sun dipped below the horizon, casting rays of yellow, orange,
and red, which looked like dancing flames through the indigo sky.
(10:20):
It was a beautiful night and the perfect end to
a perfect birthday. Dorian and his parents soon arrived back home.
By the time the car was pulling up in the driveway,
(10:41):
the sun had disappeared completely. The moon was peeking out
from behind a cluster of fluffy cotton clouds. Although the
moonlight was bright, it didn't obscure fure the spattering of
(11:01):
stars twinkling in the night sky. Dorian lingered outside for
a moment gazing at the stars while his parents unlocked
the front door and went inside. But then he heard
(11:23):
them call his name and say that they had a
surprise for him. Inside, Dorian's parents explained that there was
still a few more presents. Feeling excited, Dorian sat down
(11:45):
on the cushy living room carpet as they handed him
the gifts. All the boxes were wrapped in aquatic themed
paper with blue ribbon. He smiled at his parents as
(12:05):
he took the first box and tore into it, discarding
the ribbon and paper, pulling out a large, thick book.
He was thrilled to discover that it was a picture
book of all the fish in the sea, and it
(12:27):
was full of facts and interesting tidbits about their behavior.
Dorian set the book to one side as he started
on the next present, which was a little lighter than
the first. Opening it, he found a set of paperback
(12:52):
books inside. To his delight, he realized that it was
a mythological course series. The books were about a boy
who learned that he was a Greek demigod. He was
(13:12):
the son of the god of the sea. The boy
had magical abilities, such as breathing underwater and even controlling
the Ocean. This was the exact series that Dorian had
been begging his parents for ever since he saw the
(13:35):
books at the store, But it was Dorian's third gift
that excited him the most. As he pulled the box
out of the gift wrapped bag, he wasn't quite sure
what it was. The packaging was so colorful and had
(14:02):
so many interesting sea creatures printed on it that it
took him a minute to realize it was a special
kit for growing creatures called sea dragons. Inside the box
(14:22):
was a small aquarium along with a packet labeled dust.
Dorian read on the back of the box that the
so called dust actually contained tiny eggs. These were the
(14:43):
eggs that the sea dragons hatched from. Intrigued, Dorian pulled
out the instruction manual titled the Sea Dragon Handbook, and
on folded it to learn more. What he read was astonishing.
(15:11):
These weren't real sea dragons, of course, as those only
existed in fantasy. Instead, they were a kind of tiny shrimp.
They were one of nature's true miracles, undergoing a process
(15:32):
called cryptobiosis, a term which meant hidden life. During this process,
the creatures remained dormant in their eggs. They were asleep
in biological time capsules until the time was right, and
(15:58):
then they came to life. The sea dragons were lack
science fiction time travelers, journeying into the future. They waited
to be borne at just the right time and with
(16:19):
just the right environment. The box contained everything the sea
dragons needed to live. As well as the aquarium, which
was about the size of Dorian's head, there were packets
of water, purifier and food. The third packet contained the
(16:47):
magical dust or the eggs that would soon become the
sea dragons. Dorian looked up at his parents, grinning. This,
he told them, was his favorite gift of all. He
(17:09):
couldn't wait to use it. Tending to the sea dragons
and watching them grow and thrive would become a favorite hobby.
He was already sure of it. Afterwards, Dorian had only
(17:30):
an hour before bedtime to set up the aquarium in
his bedroom. He quickly set down his gifts, stowing the
new books on his wooden shelf. Then he turned his
attention to the sea dragons, his sea dragons. Dorian arranged
(17:59):
all the contents of the kit on his desk and
then sat down to read the manual front to back.
He took his time to ensure that he had it
committed to memory. First, he filled the small tank with water.
(18:26):
Then he poured the entire contents of the first packet
into the tank. This powder was the water purifier. It
would remove any contamination and fill the tank with the
nutrients that the baby sea dragons needed during the first
(18:51):
few weeks of their life. After being stirred for one minute,
the powder dissolved completely. For the next twenty four hours,
Dorian needed to keep the tank in a well lighted
(19:11):
area and away from any temperature extremes. He also had
to keep it out of direct sunlight to prevent any
disruption in the balance of bacteria, so he stationed the
(19:32):
tank on his desk under the lamp and not too
far from the window. Now, before he added the sea
dragon eggs, all he had to do was wait a day.
(19:55):
Seemed like a long time to Dorian. It was a
good thing that he had received those books, as reading
was one of his favorite things to do. With something
new to read, it shouldn't be too difficult to pass
(20:16):
the time. With this thought in mind, Dorian got ready
for bed and turned off the lights. After sliding beneath
the soft covers of his bed. He soon fell into
(20:37):
a deep, RESTful sleep. The next day brought rain showers.
This was the perfect excuse for Dorian to hold up
indoors and just be lazy. After a hearty, delicious breakfast,
(21:05):
he curled up on the sofa in the living room
next to his mother and began to read one of
his new books. It was the first one in the
Fantasy series. Dorian was an avid fan of mythology, and
(21:28):
the book was so good that he couldn't put it down.
The hours flew by as he read and read, stopping
only to eat lunch and dinner, and before he knew it,
(21:50):
the twenty four hours had come and gone. Now the
aquarium was ready and it was time to bring his
sea dragons to life. Dorian sat down at his desk.
(22:12):
After carefully taking out the packet of sea dragon eggs,
he poured the entirety of the contents into the tank.
As the powder fell, it really did look like magical dust,
(22:32):
glittering under the light of the lamp. Only seconds later,
Dorian saw the first sea dragons come to life. He
watched in awe as the tiny things swam through the
(22:55):
water their tails swishing back and forth almost rhythmically. More
and more sea dragons emerged from their eggs. They were
so tiny and with their long tails also kind of cute.
(23:24):
Dorian had read that the packet also included food to
get them through the first few weeks. The food had
been formulated specially for the sea dragon babies as they
started to swim. After that first round, it was up
(23:49):
to Dorian to feed the sea dragons. He could do
this by carefully positioning the tank on the desk near
the window. Here it would get enough sunlight to encourage
the growth of green algae for them to feed on,
(24:13):
and the manuals suggested that the creatures enjoyed their sunbathing.
Dorian spent the rest of the evening reading in his
beambag chair close to the aquarium. Every so often he
(24:36):
would glance over at the tank to watch the amazing
creatures dart back and forth in the water. They were
starting to adjust to their new environment. Dorian reflected on
(24:56):
how hardy the sea dragons were. They'd waited for such
a long period of time to get to this very moment.
According to the manual, sea dragons were able to lie
(25:17):
dormant in their eggs for decades. They would wait patiently
until the conditions were just right. Dorian admired their incredible
ability to adapt, and it was amazing to witness this
(25:41):
phenomenon in his own bedroom. He loved watching the creatures
as they happily swam through the water. They were no
doubt elated to have finally come out of their little
time capsules. Doriam was also happy to see that there
(26:07):
were so many of them keeping each other company. His
passion for the sea dragons only grew over the next
couple of weeks as he watched the tiny creatures thrive.
(26:31):
They certainly adored the sun. Every time he angled the
tank towards the window to give it access to the
warmth of the sun's rays, the sea dragons all seemed
to bask in the light. The sunlight also spurred on
(26:54):
the growth of microscopic green algae in the tank, just
as the manual had said it would. This provided the
sea dragons with ample food. But as the days went by,
(27:15):
Dorian noticed something quite strange. There just so happened to
be one sea dragon that stood apart from all the rest.
Its shape and features were quite different, and it was
(27:37):
growing considerably faster than the rest of its brothers and sisters.
Dorian would stare at this creature for great lengths of time,
in awe of its uniqueness. He had no idea what
(28:00):
he was looking at, but one thing was for sure.
This was no ordinary sea dragon. Maybe it wasn't even
a sea dragon at all. His parents agreed that the
(28:20):
creature was like nothing they had ever seen before. They
joked that it was the black sheep of the family.
That black sheep quickly became Dorian's favorite. Out of all
(28:41):
of the sea dragons, this one seemed to love the
sun the most. Keeping to that side of the tank.
It would almost plaster itself against the side to soak
in the rays. As time went on, the creature grew
(29:08):
bigger and bigger. Dorian was soon able to clearly distinguish
the features that set it apart from all the others
in the tank. This sea dragon had a long body
(29:29):
ending in an even longer tail, with a set of
arms and legs that were quite small in proportion, and
it had a head with a snout and nostrils that
seemed to flare at times, sending out a stream of
(29:51):
bubbles through the water. The entirety of its body. He
was covered with scales, gleaming, glittering scales of the deepest emerald, green,
and blue. Dorian was also struck by its eyes. The
(30:19):
sea dragon seemed to have a kind of awareness or intelligence.
Whenever Dorian would look at it, the sea dragon would
look right back at him. It even seemed to follow
Dorian's movements across the room, as if it felt the
(30:42):
most comfortable whenever the boy was around. Dorian loved the creature.
He named him Blaze because of his love of the
sun and the irrefutable fact that he now truly resembled
(31:05):
a dragon. He was just like the mythical creatures that
Dorian had read about in books. Blaze got so big
that soon Dorian had to purchase him his very own tank.
(31:30):
It was three times as large as the original one.
By this time, it was obvious that the creature was
something very special. Dorian was convinced that Blaze was a
real sea dragon, and although his parents said that this
(31:56):
kind of sea dragon only existed in Dorries, in his heart,
Dorian knew that they were real. Blaze swam just like
Dorian envisioned a sea dragon would swim. He glided through
(32:20):
the water effortlessly, with his tail undulating behind him like
a length of ribbon in the wind. Blaze also breathed
in and out through his nostrils to produce cascades of bubbles,
(32:42):
just like a dragon. On the day Dorian got the
bigger tank, he was so excited he filled it with
water and decorated it with a large Blaze might enjoy
(33:03):
draping himself across it in the sun, and then with
gentle hands, Dorian scooped Blaze up and out of the
smaller tank. Surprisingly, Blaze didn't seem to mind being out
(33:26):
of the water at all. He even nudged the boy's
hand in what felt like an affectionate gesture and looked
up at him knowingly. When he stroked Blaze's back, the
creature seemed to almost purr with delight, and steam came
(33:52):
out of his nostrils. Smiling, Dorian placed Blaze into the
water of his new tank and watched as the sea
dragon took in his new surroundings. Blaze curled up on
(34:14):
the rock just as Dorian thought he would, and gazed
at the boy with heavy lidded eyes. He seemed content
in the light of the afternoon sun. Weeks passed by,
(34:35):
and Blaze grew even bigger. Dorian had to buy yet
another tank, the largest the pet store had to offer.
At this point, Blaze was the size of a cat. Finally,
(34:58):
Dorian's parents had to admit that the creature might very
well be a sea dragon after all, and they too
had grown fond of him. They noticed the way Dorian
and Blaze doted on one another, and how the sea
(35:22):
dragon loved to be petted much like a cat. Blaze
was a creature of comforts, they liked to joke, and
he was a creature that was quickly growing. He would
(35:44):
soon need an environment that could accommodate him, one that
Dorian and his parents could not provide. Dorian knew that
the best care of action would be to release Blaze
into the wild. He would take him to the ocean. There,
(36:12):
the sea dragon would have all the room he could
ever need to grow and live. Also, if the family
released Blaze near their beach house, Dorian could visit him
whenever he wanted. Dorian was a little disappointed at the
(36:38):
prospect of letting Blaze go, but he understood it was
the right thing to do. He knew that Blaze yearned
for the freedom of the open waters of the ocean.
The sea dragon needed room to swim and some bathe
(37:01):
on the rocks to his heart's content, and so it
was decided the family would transport Blaze to the ocean
and release him. The day of the move, Dorian was
(37:24):
sad to say goodbye, but excited to grant Blaze the
freedom he deserved. Dorian's parents assured him that taking Blaze
to the ocean would allow the creature to have a long,
happy life, and it was a life that would always
(37:49):
include Dorian. His parents promised to take him to the
beach house whenever they could. Dorian was grateful to have
spent this much time with Blaze. Already, he would never
(38:10):
know how Blaze had come to be in that sea
dragon kit, but he would always feel lucky to have
had the chance to raise him, and he would take
every chance that came his way to go and visit him.
(38:33):
When they arrived at the beach house, Dorian felt better,
and he felt even more sure that this was the
right decision. As Dorian walked towards the ocean carrying the
(38:53):
sea Dragon, he looked down and smiled. Blaze looked back
up at the boy with wonder in his eyes. It
was almost as if he could smell the briny ocean air.
(39:16):
Maybe he knew that the sea was nearby and that
his freedom awaited. When they reached the shore, Blaze nestled
his snout against Dorian's neck before turning to gaze intently
(39:39):
out across the water. Dorian kicked off his shoes and
waded into the surf. When the waves reached his knees,
he carefully placed Blaze in the water. Then he watched
(40:05):
in awe as the sea dragon dived right in. As
he resurfaced, Blaze roared with joy, grinning, Dorian swam after him.
(40:26):
The two frolicked in the water as Dorian's parents watched
in amazement from the shore. Under the water, with the
waves over his head and with the sun sending pillars
of light down into the depths, Dorian felt so free.
(40:55):
He imagined it was the same sense of freedom that
the sea dragon must be feeling. Dorian swam a little
longer before rising out of the water. Blaze glided right
(41:17):
up to him, and the boy hugged his sea dragon
one more time before heading back towards the shore. As
he reached the sand. Dorian turned around one more time
(41:38):
to see Blaze shoot out of the water. He was
clearly so happy. The sea dragon gave Dorian a look
of gratitude before disappearing from sight on the water. Dorian
(42:05):
joined his parents on the beach, so the three of
them were side by side. As they gazed at the
sea together, Dorian continued to think about Blaze. He knew
in his heart that he had just helped one of
(42:28):
nature's most magnificent creatures. In doing this, he had ensured
the sea Dragon's survival and happiness. He also knew that
one day in the future he would come and visit
(42:52):
and discover that Blaze was fully grown. Maybe the sea
dragon would get give him rides through the water. How
wonderful that would be, thought Dorian, like something out of
a fairy tale. And as he walked to the beach
(43:18):
house with his parents, Dorian knew that his birthday gift
was one that he'd never forget.
Speaker 2 (44:00):
The lad Da then w
Welcome to Snuggle Cozy Stories for kids. This episode is
called Dorian's Magical Sea Dragon. Snuggle is a production of
Slumber Studios. To listen ad free and support the show,
sign up for our premium feed. Hey, my friend, thank
(00:28):
you so much for joining me again. If you don't
already know, my name is Tom and I'm so glad
to have your company for story time. This is my
favorite part of the day, and I hope you love
it just as much as I do. I'll be reading
(00:49):
to you again today. And if you've ever visited an aquarium,
it's possible that you might have seen a sea dragon
swimming around. But have you ever wondered what it would
be like to have a sea dragon as a pet. Well, shortly,
(01:10):
a boy named Dorian is about to find out just
what that's like after he receives a unique birthday gift
from his parents. Before we hear it, make sure you're
settled in, nice and snug. Relax all the muscles in
(01:33):
your face, then your arms and hands, your chest, belly
and back, and even your legs and feet nicely done.
(02:00):
Now we're ready to listen, So let's begin our dreamy
aquatic adventure with Dorian. It was Dorian's seventh birthday. It
(02:30):
had the most wonderful party at the aquarium, seeing all
of the amazing creatures. Dorian was fascinated by fish and
the ocean. It always loved being at his family's beach
house more than anywhere else. There he could wander along
(02:58):
the beach and swim in the waves and see some
of the creatures that lived in the ocean. But he
only ever caught a glimpse of the creatures near the shore.
On the beach, he spotted crabs in the sand and
(03:20):
pods of dolphins off the coast. Dorian had always longed
to see the creatures of the deep, and he wanted
to see them in person, not just on the pages
of a book or magazine. Today he was finally able
(03:46):
to do just that. He had his fill of oceanic wonders,
and without having to travel far. There was no need
to go all the way to the Great Barrier Reef
in Australia, though one day he hoped to visit. This afternoon,
(04:13):
Dorian's parents were able to grant one of his deepest
wishes simply by taking him to the public aquarium in
the city. It had never visited one before, so he
was in for quite a surprise when he realized that
(04:37):
some of the most amazing fish on the planet resided
there at the aquarium. There were even some of the
creatures he had always longed to see and learn about.
During his visit, he saw schools of neon colored fish
(05:01):
and several polka dotted stingrays, and there was a cute
family of penguins who looked as though they were wearing tuxedos.
There was even a tank of reef sharks on the ceiling.
(05:23):
The sharks passed overhead while Dorian and his friends watched
and stunned silence below. The trip to the aquarium really
was the perfect birthday present. Dorian went from exhibit to exhibit,
(05:47):
spending more time at each one than the other children.
Seeing the aquatic creatures in their respective habitats and watch
their behavior in person was immensely fulfilling. It was so
much better than watching things on TV or reading about them.
(06:16):
The sizes and proportions were all so different from what
he'd expected. Dorian had seen many images of coral reefs,
but viewing one up close with his own eyes, with
all of its stunning, vibrant colors was something else. The
(06:44):
fish moved so gracefully, and the sharks in particular, they
glided through the water much like the birds in the sky.
Dorian wanted to see day and watch for as long
as possible. There had also been tanks full of all
(07:10):
sorts of creatures that he had never even heard of before,
like sea cucumbers and starfish. Their names were spot on,
thought Dorian. That was exactly what they looked like. Dorian
(07:34):
decided then and there that one day he would live
near the ocean and become a marine biologist or find
a job that would enable him to learn more about
these creatures. He could think of nothing better than studying
(07:56):
everything about them and helping to protect them. At the aquarium,
he learned that, for various reasons, the numbers of some
of these creatures were dwindling. He also discovered that some
(08:18):
fish and sea creatures were kept as pets, when what
they really needed was the space to roam freely as
nature intended. Of course, the tanks in the aquarium were different.
(08:39):
These exhibits were there to protect the species, but on
the whole, Dorian thought it was better for the creatures
to be free if possible, and people needed to do
more to cherish and protect all the species of the sea.
(09:05):
Dorian wanted to make the world a better place, and
one day he hoped to see more creatures in the ocean.
Maybe he would even be able to swim with some
of these sea creatures if he was really lucky. After
(09:29):
Dorian and his friends and family had seen every exhibit,
the birthday party continued with a dinner of pizza. They
played a few rounds of ocean themed arcade games, and
finally left right as the aquarium was set to close.
(09:57):
The evening was calm and cool. As everyone went home,
the sun dipped below the horizon, casting rays of yellow, orange,
and red, which looked like dancing flames through the indigo sky.
(10:20):
It was a beautiful night and the perfect end to
a perfect birthday. Dorian and his parents soon arrived back home.
By the time the car was pulling up in the driveway,
(10:41):
the sun had disappeared completely. The moon was peeking out
from behind a cluster of fluffy cotton clouds. Although the
moonlight was bright, it didn't obscure fure the spattering of
(11:01):
stars twinkling in the night sky. Dorian lingered outside for
a moment gazing at the stars while his parents unlocked
the front door and went inside. But then he heard
(11:23):
them call his name and say that they had a
surprise for him. Inside, Dorian's parents explained that there was
still a few more presents. Feeling excited, Dorian sat down
(11:45):
on the cushy living room carpet as they handed him
the gifts. All the boxes were wrapped in aquatic themed
paper with blue ribbon. He smiled at his parents as
(12:05):
he took the first box and tore into it, discarding
the ribbon and paper, pulling out a large, thick book.
He was thrilled to discover that it was a picture
book of all the fish in the sea, and it
(12:27):
was full of facts and interesting tidbits about their behavior.
Dorian set the book to one side as he started
on the next present, which was a little lighter than
the first. Opening it, he found a set of paperback
(12:52):
books inside. To his delight, he realized that it was
a mythological course series. The books were about a boy
who learned that he was a Greek demigod. He was
(13:12):
the son of the god of the sea. The boy
had magical abilities, such as breathing underwater and even controlling
the Ocean. This was the exact series that Dorian had
been begging his parents for ever since he saw the
(13:35):
books at the store, But it was Dorian's third gift
that excited him the most. As he pulled the box
out of the gift wrapped bag, he wasn't quite sure
what it was. The packaging was so colorful and had
(14:02):
so many interesting sea creatures printed on it that it
took him a minute to realize it was a special
kit for growing creatures called sea dragons. Inside the box
(14:22):
was a small aquarium along with a packet labeled dust.
Dorian read on the back of the box that the
so called dust actually contained tiny eggs. These were the
(14:43):
eggs that the sea dragons hatched from. Intrigued, Dorian pulled
out the instruction manual titled the Sea Dragon Handbook, and
on folded it to learn more. What he read was astonishing.
(15:11):
These weren't real sea dragons, of course, as those only
existed in fantasy. Instead, they were a kind of tiny shrimp.
They were one of nature's true miracles, undergoing a process
(15:32):
called cryptobiosis, a term which meant hidden life. During this process,
the creatures remained dormant in their eggs. They were asleep
in biological time capsules until the time was right, and
(15:58):
then they came to life. The sea dragons were lack
science fiction time travelers, journeying into the future. They waited
to be borne at just the right time and with
(16:19):
just the right environment. The box contained everything the sea
dragons needed to live. As well as the aquarium, which
was about the size of Dorian's head, there were packets
of water, purifier and food. The third packet contained the
(16:47):
magical dust or the eggs that would soon become the
sea dragons. Dorian looked up at his parents, grinning. This,
he told them, was his favorite gift of all. He
(17:09):
couldn't wait to use it. Tending to the sea dragons
and watching them grow and thrive would become a favorite hobby.
He was already sure of it. Afterwards, Dorian had only
(17:30):
an hour before bedtime to set up the aquarium in
his bedroom. He quickly set down his gifts, stowing the
new books on his wooden shelf. Then he turned his
attention to the sea dragons, his sea dragons. Dorian arranged
(17:59):
all the contents of the kit on his desk and
then sat down to read the manual front to back.
He took his time to ensure that he had it
committed to memory. First, he filled the small tank with water.
(18:26):
Then he poured the entire contents of the first packet
into the tank. This powder was the water purifier. It
would remove any contamination and fill the tank with the
nutrients that the baby sea dragons needed during the first
(18:51):
few weeks of their life. After being stirred for one minute,
the powder dissolved completely. For the next twenty four hours,
Dorian needed to keep the tank in a well lighted
(19:11):
area and away from any temperature extremes. He also had
to keep it out of direct sunlight to prevent any
disruption in the balance of bacteria, so he stationed the
(19:32):
tank on his desk under the lamp and not too
far from the window. Now, before he added the sea
dragon eggs, all he had to do was wait a day.
(19:55):
Seemed like a long time to Dorian. It was a
good thing that he had received those books, as reading
was one of his favorite things to do. With something
new to read, it shouldn't be too difficult to pass
(20:16):
the time. With this thought in mind, Dorian got ready
for bed and turned off the lights. After sliding beneath
the soft covers of his bed. He soon fell into
(20:37):
a deep, RESTful sleep. The next day brought rain showers.
This was the perfect excuse for Dorian to hold up
indoors and just be lazy. After a hearty, delicious breakfast,
(21:05):
he curled up on the sofa in the living room
next to his mother and began to read one of
his new books. It was the first one in the
Fantasy series. Dorian was an avid fan of mythology, and
(21:28):
the book was so good that he couldn't put it down.
The hours flew by as he read and read, stopping
only to eat lunch and dinner, and before he knew it,
(21:50):
the twenty four hours had come and gone. Now the
aquarium was ready and it was time to bring his
sea dragons to life. Dorian sat down at his desk.
(22:12):
After carefully taking out the packet of sea dragon eggs,
he poured the entirety of the contents into the tank.
As the powder fell, it really did look like magical dust,
(22:32):
glittering under the light of the lamp. Only seconds later,
Dorian saw the first sea dragons come to life. He
watched in awe as the tiny things swam through the
(22:55):
water their tails swishing back and forth almost rhythmically. More
and more sea dragons emerged from their eggs. They were
so tiny and with their long tails also kind of cute.
(23:24):
Dorian had read that the packet also included food to
get them through the first few weeks. The food had
been formulated specially for the sea dragon babies as they
started to swim. After that first round, it was up
(23:49):
to Dorian to feed the sea dragons. He could do
this by carefully positioning the tank on the desk near
the window. Here it would get enough sunlight to encourage
the growth of green algae for them to feed on,
(24:13):
and the manuals suggested that the creatures enjoyed their sunbathing.
Dorian spent the rest of the evening reading in his
beambag chair close to the aquarium. Every so often he
(24:36):
would glance over at the tank to watch the amazing
creatures dart back and forth in the water. They were
starting to adjust to their new environment. Dorian reflected on
(24:56):
how hardy the sea dragons were. They'd waited for such
a long period of time to get to this very moment.
According to the manual, sea dragons were able to lie
(25:17):
dormant in their eggs for decades. They would wait patiently
until the conditions were just right. Dorian admired their incredible
ability to adapt, and it was amazing to witness this
(25:41):
phenomenon in his own bedroom. He loved watching the creatures
as they happily swam through the water. They were no
doubt elated to have finally come out of their little
time capsules. Doriam was also happy to see that there
(26:07):
were so many of them keeping each other company. His
passion for the sea dragons only grew over the next
couple of weeks as he watched the tiny creatures thrive.
(26:31):
They certainly adored the sun. Every time he angled the
tank towards the window to give it access to the
warmth of the sun's rays, the sea dragons all seemed
to bask in the light. The sunlight also spurred on
(26:54):
the growth of microscopic green algae in the tank, just
as the manual had said it would. This provided the
sea dragons with ample food. But as the days went by,
(27:15):
Dorian noticed something quite strange. There just so happened to
be one sea dragon that stood apart from all the rest.
Its shape and features were quite different, and it was
(27:37):
growing considerably faster than the rest of its brothers and sisters.
Dorian would stare at this creature for great lengths of time,
in awe of its uniqueness. He had no idea what
(28:00):
he was looking at, but one thing was for sure.
This was no ordinary sea dragon. Maybe it wasn't even
a sea dragon at all. His parents agreed that the
(28:20):
creature was like nothing they had ever seen before. They
joked that it was the black sheep of the family.
That black sheep quickly became Dorian's favorite. Out of all
(28:41):
of the sea dragons, this one seemed to love the
sun the most. Keeping to that side of the tank.
It would almost plaster itself against the side to soak
in the rays. As time went on, the creature grew
(29:08):
bigger and bigger. Dorian was soon able to clearly distinguish
the features that set it apart from all the others
in the tank. This sea dragon had a long body
(29:29):
ending in an even longer tail, with a set of
arms and legs that were quite small in proportion, and
it had a head with a snout and nostrils that
seemed to flare at times, sending out a stream of
(29:51):
bubbles through the water. The entirety of its body. He
was covered with scales, gleaming, glittering scales of the deepest emerald, green,
and blue. Dorian was also struck by its eyes. The
(30:19):
sea dragon seemed to have a kind of awareness or intelligence.
Whenever Dorian would look at it, the sea dragon would
look right back at him. It even seemed to follow
Dorian's movements across the room, as if it felt the
(30:42):
most comfortable whenever the boy was around. Dorian loved the creature.
He named him Blaze because of his love of the
sun and the irrefutable fact that he now truly resembled
(31:05):
a dragon. He was just like the mythical creatures that
Dorian had read about in books. Blaze got so big
that soon Dorian had to purchase him his very own tank.
(31:30):
It was three times as large as the original one.
By this time, it was obvious that the creature was
something very special. Dorian was convinced that Blaze was a
real sea dragon, and although his parents said that this
(31:56):
kind of sea dragon only existed in Dorries, in his heart,
Dorian knew that they were real. Blaze swam just like
Dorian envisioned a sea dragon would swim. He glided through
(32:20):
the water effortlessly, with his tail undulating behind him like
a length of ribbon in the wind. Blaze also breathed
in and out through his nostrils to produce cascades of bubbles,
(32:42):
just like a dragon. On the day Dorian got the
bigger tank, he was so excited he filled it with
water and decorated it with a large Blaze might enjoy
(33:03):
draping himself across it in the sun, and then with
gentle hands, Dorian scooped Blaze up and out of the
smaller tank. Surprisingly, Blaze didn't seem to mind being out
(33:26):
of the water at all. He even nudged the boy's
hand in what felt like an affectionate gesture and looked
up at him knowingly. When he stroked Blaze's back, the
creature seemed to almost purr with delight, and steam came
(33:52):
out of his nostrils. Smiling, Dorian placed Blaze into the
water of his new tank and watched as the sea
dragon took in his new surroundings. Blaze curled up on
(34:14):
the rock just as Dorian thought he would, and gazed
at the boy with heavy lidded eyes. He seemed content
in the light of the afternoon sun. Weeks passed by,
(34:35):
and Blaze grew even bigger. Dorian had to buy yet
another tank, the largest the pet store had to offer.
At this point, Blaze was the size of a cat. Finally,
(34:58):
Dorian's parents had to admit that the creature might very
well be a sea dragon after all, and they too
had grown fond of him. They noticed the way Dorian
and Blaze doted on one another, and how the sea
(35:22):
dragon loved to be petted much like a cat. Blaze
was a creature of comforts, they liked to joke, and
he was a creature that was quickly growing. He would
(35:44):
soon need an environment that could accommodate him, one that
Dorian and his parents could not provide. Dorian knew that
the best care of action would be to release Blaze
into the wild. He would take him to the ocean. There,
(36:12):
the sea dragon would have all the room he could
ever need to grow and live. Also, if the family
released Blaze near their beach house, Dorian could visit him
whenever he wanted. Dorian was a little disappointed at the
(36:38):
prospect of letting Blaze go, but he understood it was
the right thing to do. He knew that Blaze yearned
for the freedom of the open waters of the ocean.
The sea dragon needed room to swim and some bathe
(37:01):
on the rocks to his heart's content, and so it
was decided the family would transport Blaze to the ocean
and release him. The day of the move, Dorian was
(37:24):
sad to say goodbye, but excited to grant Blaze the
freedom he deserved. Dorian's parents assured him that taking Blaze
to the ocean would allow the creature to have a long,
happy life, and it was a life that would always
(37:49):
include Dorian. His parents promised to take him to the
beach house whenever they could. Dorian was grateful to have
spent this much time with Blaze. Already, he would never
(38:10):
know how Blaze had come to be in that sea
dragon kit, but he would always feel lucky to have
had the chance to raise him, and he would take
every chance that came his way to go and visit him.
(38:33):
When they arrived at the beach house, Dorian felt better,
and he felt even more sure that this was the
right decision. As Dorian walked towards the ocean carrying the
(38:53):
sea Dragon, he looked down and smiled. Blaze looked back
up at the boy with wonder in his eyes. It
was almost as if he could smell the briny ocean air.
(39:16):
Maybe he knew that the sea was nearby and that
his freedom awaited. When they reached the shore, Blaze nestled
his snout against Dorian's neck before turning to gaze intently
(39:39):
out across the water. Dorian kicked off his shoes and
waded into the surf. When the waves reached his knees,
he carefully placed Blaze in the water. Then he watched
(40:05):
in awe as the sea dragon dived right in. As
he resurfaced, Blaze roared with joy, grinning, Dorian swam after him.
(40:26):
The two frolicked in the water as Dorian's parents watched
in amazement from the shore. Under the water, with the
waves over his head and with the sun sending pillars
of light down into the depths, Dorian felt so free.
(40:55):
He imagined it was the same sense of freedom that
the sea dragon must be feeling. Dorian swam a little
longer before rising out of the water. Blaze glided right
(41:17):
up to him, and the boy hugged his sea dragon
one more time before heading back towards the shore. As
he reached the sand. Dorian turned around one more time
(41:38):
to see Blaze shoot out of the water. He was
clearly so happy. The sea dragon gave Dorian a look
of gratitude before disappearing from sight on the water. Dorian
(42:05):
joined his parents on the beach, so the three of
them were side by side. As they gazed at the
sea together, Dorian continued to think about Blaze. He knew
in his heart that he had just helped one of
(42:28):
nature's most magnificent creatures. In doing this, he had ensured
the sea Dragon's survival and happiness. He also knew that
one day in the future he would come and visit
(42:52):
and discover that Blaze was fully grown. Maybe the sea
dragon would get give him rides through the water. How
wonderful that would be, thought Dorian, like something out of
a fairy tale. And as he walked to the beach
(43:18):
house with his parents, Dorian knew that his birthday gift
was one that he'd never forget.
Speaker 2 (44:00):
The lad Da then w
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