The Weedy Sea Dragon

You should never judge someone based on how they look. If you do, you may be in for a surprise.
Written especially for this podcast by Alice. 

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In order to allow us to make these stories we offer a premium subscription and run adverts. The adverts are not chosen by us, but played automatically depending on the platform you listen through (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc) and the country you live in. The adverts may even be different if you listen to the story twice.

We have had a handful of instances where an advert has played that is not suitable for a family audience, despite the podcast clearly being labelled for children. If you’re concerned about an advert you hear, please contact the platform you are listening to directly. Spotify, in particular, has proven problematic in the past, for both inappropriate adverts and the volume at which the adverts play. If you find this happening, please let Spotify know via their Facebook customer care page. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:12):
Yao. Hello. My name's Josephine and this is the Animal
Tales podcast, where you suggest the animals featured in our stories.
There are new tales to enjoy every Monday and Wednesday,
with a third premium only story every Friday. If you're
enjoying Animal Tales, please take the time to leave us

(00:33):
a review. Reviews help get us noticed amongst all the
other podcasts out there. Clara is from Colorado in the USA,
and she's asked for a story featuring a weedy sea dragon.
You can learn more about these creatures in the animal
facts after the story. Okay, are you ready? That's good,

(00:55):
then I'll begin the weedy sea dragon. The coral reef
was alive with activity. Pink and yellow starfish dotted the rocks,
and grumpy crustaceans snipped at their legs. Sea an enemy
swayed in the currants, while lazy green turtles floated up

(01:16):
above everywhere you looked, darting around the coral and sea sponges.
Hundreds of small, colorful fish explored the reef, and amongst
it all, bobbing through the seaweed as she looked for
her friends, was Clara. Clara was similar to a sea horse,

(01:37):
but without the curly tail. Along her back, small leaflike
sprouts grew like seaweed, giving her species its name weedy
sea dragon. After much searching, she found a few of
her friends on the edge of the reef. They were
circling something they had found. Hey, guys, Clara said, swimming over,

(02:01):
what's going on? Stay back, Clara. Her friend Ben warned
he was a yellow tang and was staring nervously at
the object. It was large metal and was sticking up
between the rocks. Yeah, don't get too close, said Laura.

(02:22):
A butterfly fish. It's dangerous. Why what is it, Clara asked.
It's an anchor. A ship dropped it from above. Ben explained.
It keeps trying to pull it out, but it's stuck.
If the ship keeps pulling, it's going to tear up

(02:43):
the beautiful coral. It will be a dreadful mess. Clara
risked a closer look. Inspecting the anchor more closely, she
could see the danger it posed and the destruction it
might cause, not least to all the sea creatures who
might get hurt. We need to do something, Clara said

(03:05):
us Laura, the butterfly fish said, sounding shocked. What can
we do? We're just a couple of fish, and you're well,
you know Clara, No, I don't, said Clara, unsure of
what her friend was trying to say. What do you mean, well,

(03:27):
said Ben, somewhat uncomfortably. You're a weedy sea dragon. Weedy
means small and weak, so clearly you're not going to
be any help at all. Clara couldn't help but laugh. Oh, Ben,
you are silly. She chuckled and swam up to the anchor.

(03:49):
The butterfly fish and yellow tang studied her tiny, slender,
almost frilly body as she did so. She didn't even
look like she could lift a pebble let alone an anchor.
Be careful, Clara, Laura gasped That anchor must weigh more
than a manta ray. You'll hurt yourself. Clara, though didn't

(04:13):
look very worried at all. She wrapped one of her
fins around the top and pulled. To her friend's immense surprise,
the anchor slid easily from the rocks. Clara continued to
guide it up and away from the reef. As the
boat hauled it up from above. Her friend stared at her, aghast,

(04:37):
How how did you do that, Ben stuttered, you really
shouldn't judge some one by how they look. Clara smiled,
I'm only called weedy because I look like seaweed. Wow,
said Laura. Well, good job, Clara, you've saved the reef

(04:58):
from being torn up. I've got to tell my mum
about the anchor, said Ben. Me too, giggled Laura, and
off they swam, leaving Clara alone once more. Now she
was on the edge of the reef, she may as
well explore a bit further. So Clara carried on swimming

(05:20):
to see what else she could find. That day, she
found herself swimming towards land and the big sandy beach
that was there. Clara wondered if it was time for
the sea turtle's eggs to hatch. She'd love to greet
some cute baby turtles. But when Clara got closer to
the shore, it wasn't turtle she found of any size,

(05:44):
but a pod of pilot whales swimming back and forth
in the shallower water. Hello, every one, said Clara. She
was but a tiny scrap compared to the pilot whale's size.
Swim away, a little sea dragon, swim away. One of
the pilot whales cried, The beach beyond is a dangerous place.

(06:08):
Our friend has been washed up on to the sand
and is stuck there. Go back into deeper water where
it's safe. Poking her head above the waves, Clara could
see the beached whale, just his tail still in the water.
His skin was dry, and he looked exhausted from the

(06:28):
effort of trying to move beneath the hot sun. I
may be able to help, Clara said. To the whales,
you replied one of them with surprise. But you're tiny.
I'm sure it's obvious to you why you won't be
able to help. No, not obvious at all, said Clara.

(06:50):
I'm sure of what the whale was trying to say.
What do you mean? I don't wish to sound mean,
the whale replied, but you're a weedy sea dragon. Weedy
means feeble and puny, so obviously you're not going to
be any help at all. I'm sure you won't mind

(07:11):
if I at least have a go, said Clara gently.
Being as small as she was, she easily swam into
the shallowest water to find the tail of the beached whale,
taking a firm hold with her frilly fins, Clara poured
with all her might on the beach. The whale's tired

(07:33):
eyes flew open with surprise as he found himself being
dragged backwards down the beach, and Clara didn't stop pulling
until the stranded whale was safely back into deeper waters.
My goodness, we under estimated you, one of the pilot
whales admitted. Perhaps you'll think twice next time before judging

(07:57):
some one by how they look. Clara smiled, for the record,
I'm only called weedy because I look like seaweed. Saying
goodbye to the pilot whales, Clara decided it was time
to continue onwards. She swam back into the deeper ocean,
leaving both the shore and the reef behind her. Clara

(08:21):
stopped suspended over the dark water where the ocean floor
dropped away, suddenly beneath her, disappearing into darkness. Creatures lived
out here that were very different to the ones she
lived with on the reef. She thought she could see
one now down in the darkness, looking back at her.

(08:42):
It was blinking at her. Strangely, it didn't move. Any
other fish would have been terrified to be watched by
something lurking in the depths, but Clara wasn't any other fish. Instead,
she decided to swim down and say hello. But as
the sea dragon got closer, it wasn't a sea creature

(09:06):
that emerged from the darkness. This shape was large and long,
and much bigger than the whales. It was so large
that it took Clara a moment to understand what she
was looking at. It was an eyes blinking at her,
but lights belonging to a big yellow submarine, and it

(09:27):
appeared to be in trouble. Clara had seen a few
submarines before, and they always floated through the water, going
from one place to another, but this one was different.
Swimming around it, Clara noticed that the yellow submarine was
resting on a ledge, suspended over even deeper water. It

(09:50):
was teetering in danger of falling. Somehow, it was just
managing to remain balanced. For some reason. The submarine didn't
appear to be working properly. A human face was gazing
out from a single window inside the submarine was dark, Oh,

(10:13):
said the man with disappointment. You're just a sea horse.
I was hoping you might be a rescue crew. Weedy
sea dragon, Clara corrected, not a sea horse. Why do
you need a rescue crew? Our engine failed and now
our submarine won't move, the man said sadly through the window.

(10:37):
We're running on emergency power. We're too deep to swim
to the surface, and to make matters worse, we're at
risk of plummeting even deeper at any minute. Perhaps I
could help you, Clara suggested, All you could do is
swim for help, pointed out the man. Clearly, there's nothing

(10:58):
else you could do. Clearly nothing else, repeated Clara. What
do you mean. I'm sorry to have to point it out,
The man replied, but you're a weedy sea dragon. Weedy
means frail and delicate, so clearly you're not going to

(11:18):
be able to do much here. We'll see about that,
said Clara, and disappeared from the man's sight. Suddenly, the
crew of the submarine began to holler and scream as
the submarine moved. They were fearing the worst that they
were about to fall into the depths, but that wasn't

(11:41):
what was happening at all. Beneath them, on the under
side of the submarine, Clara was lifting the entire submarine upwards,
straining against the weight. It wasn't easy, but she was
a determined little sea dragon, and so she swam as
hard as she could. The submarine began to rise up

(12:05):
and out of the depths. The submarine eventually broke through
the water's surface, not far from the reef, but Clara
wasn't done there. With no power, the submarine still needed
to reach land, so Clara pushed the yellow sub to shore,
wedging it upon the sand. The man threw open the hatch,

(12:29):
jumped down onto the sand, and waded into the surf
to where Clara was swimming. His face was full of gratitude.
That was amazing, so impressive. He declared, I'm sorry I
doubted you. I'm just glad you're all safe. Clara answered,

(12:51):
now you know, I'm only called weedy because I look
like seaweed. As the rest of the relieved crew spilled
out on to the shore, Clara decided it was time
to return to the reef. It had been a long day.
She was almost at the edge of the coral when
a small white jellyfish bobbed up alongside her. Clara thought

(13:15):
it was the most beautiful and graceful creature she'd seen
for a while. Hello she said, I'm Clara. Hi, Clara
said the jellyfish, it's nice to meet you. I love
your colors. What sort of animal are you? I'm a
weedy sea dragon, Clara said, and weedy means that you

(13:41):
look like seaweed. The jellyfish finished for her. I can
see that. It must help you blend right in like camouflage.
You're the first animal who's got that right to day,
Clara smiled. Everyone else just as shimmed that it meant
small and weak. The jellyfish laughed. How silly animals can be.

(14:06):
She said, I'm new around here. By the way, I'm
a moon jellyfish, because you look like the moon, Clara said,
seeing how round and white she was, But the jellyfish
looked shocked. Oh no, she said, it's because I come

(14:26):
from the Moon. I'm an alien, you see, I was
sent here to Earth to study it and then to
take the planet over. Clara stared back, looking shocked. I'm joking,
said the jellyfish. You were right the first time. It's
because I looked just like the moon. They both laughed,

(14:50):
and Clara felt relieved. Well as Shaw knew. I'm guessing
it would help if I showed you around, said Clara.
Thank you, said the moon jellyfish gratefully. Tell me, are
there any dangers I should be aware of on the reef?
The weedy sea dragon grinned no, she said, with a

(15:14):
knowing smile. Not if you're friends with me. Animal fat
weedy sea dragons, also called the common sea dragon, are
an unusual looking fish closely related to seahorses and pipefish.
They grow to around forty five centimeters that's eighteen inches

(15:39):
in length. They're found in the seas around Australia, the
Indian Ocean and into the Pacific. They tend to live
amongst the seaweed, as their unusual bodies help them blend
in with it. Like sea horses. It's the sea dragon
male that gives birth. The female transfer her eggs into

(16:01):
his brooding pouch and they develop into young sea dragons within.
Thank you for your suggestion, Clara. We hope you enjoyed it,
and thank you to all of you across the world
for listening to it. There are over four hundred animal
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(16:22):
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