Atalli is a small mermaid. She lives in Atlantis. She has blue fins and a shiny tail. She is kind and brave. She is shy sometimes. She loves to sing and to play.
One day Atalli found a pink seashell by the coral. The shell made a soft chime. It made her heart feel warm. She held it in her hand. But the shell slipped away. It rolled on the sand and into a dark crack. Atalli could not find it. She felt sad. She wanted her gift.
Then the Crystal Guardian came. It was a small gem fish. It was bright and playful. It could help with any lost thing. It had clear scales that shone in the light. It saw Atalli and her tears. It said, I will help you, friend. Atalli said, Thank you.
They swam through warm water. They saw tall sea weeds and bright bubbles. They saw a shy octopus and a wiggly eel. They saw a dancing turtle and a small crab. They held fins and sang a gentle song. The song made the water sparkle. They felt hope.
They reached a sand cave. It was dark and quiet. They asked, Is this the shell? But only stones were inside. They swam on. They reached a hidden arch. Under the arch lay the pink seashell. It was trapped in a clamshell that was closed.
Atalli was still and sad. The Crystal Guardian said, Try to sing to the shell. Atalli took a deep breath. She sang a kind and soft song. The clamshell heard her voice. It opened slow and gentle. The shell fell out. It chimed once more.
Atalli clutched the shell. She smiled so big. She hugged the Crystal Guardian. She said, You helped me find my gift. You are a true friend. The guardian said, You are brave and kind. Your song gave me strength too.
They swam back to the coral bed. The fish cheered and the plants waved. Atalli placed the shell on her shelf. It glowed at night. It shone like a star. She felt safe and loved. She fell asleep with a smile.
Atalli and the Crystal Guardian became best friends. They played hide and seek in the coral reef. They counted bright fish as they swam. They found little shells and shiny stones. They shared them with a small seahorse. They helped it carry a tiny shell. They made a game of gentle waves. They clapped their fins in joy. They sang happy songs to the sea plants. They watched the tiny plankton glow like fireflies. They made friends with a starfish. They taught it to dance. They laughed when it slipped. They felt warm light all around them. They knew the sea was full of wonder. They felt love and calm. They knew they would always help each other. And they drifted softly among the soft waves.
Then at night the sea became quiet. Atalli sang a lullaby:
Sleep little fish, sleep little fish.
The waves rock you gently.
Close your eyes and dream of coral.
Close your eyes and dream of soft sand.
Moon in the water says good night.
Stars in the sky say good night.
All is calm under the sea.
All is calm and warm and bright.
Good night dear friend. Good night sweet shell.
Good night to you. Good night to all.