Anoctopus Tells a Story

This is a true story, said Anoctopus, hooking himself over the edge of the bucket with two of his tentacles. Are you all sitting comfortably?

Baby Pierre and Lavender wriggled their bottoms on the hard jetty planks and Gaius leaned back against the railings.

Yes, they said. We are.

Right, said Anoctopus. There was a woman. She was picking blueberries with her child. Nobody else was around. Then something interfered with her foot.

Did you say interfered? asked Gaius.

Yes, I did, said Anoctopus. This is how the story was told to me. Please don't interrupt.

Sorry, said Gaius. Go on.

It was an octopus that had interfered with her foot. It wrapped its tentacles around her and began to pull her towards the sea. Oh! said the woman to the child. Long Fingers has got me! Run and tell your uncles. I'm finished.

But nothing bad happened to her. The octopus took her to his house under the sea. He turned into a man for her. They married and she lived in his house with him.

The octopus caught fish and seals and cockles for the woman to eat. He would lie on top of them to cook them.

One day the woman was sitting on a rock when her brothers came by in their fishing boat. Don't you think it's time to come home with us? they said to the woman.

I'll just stay a little longer, said the woman. Do come back sometime.

She told the octopus what had happened. The octopus said, you should tell them not to kill me. Killing is all they think about, your brothers.

The woman stayed with the octopus. She had two octopus babies.

Anoctopus paused, and looked around at his audience.

Is that all? asked Lavender.

Course it isn't, whispered Baby Pierre. Stories don't end with people having BABIES. This must be the interval.

Clever boy! said Anoctopus. This is the interval. Is there anything to eat?