Eli the Eelephant

Eli the Eelephant

By Amanda Lynn Steinhaus

Illustrations by True Delorenzo

An Eelephant ALWAYS forgets. 

In fact, it takes steps to remember.

But let's start in the beginning.


***

Eli, the eelephant, was born in the warm waters of Thailand.

He was the only son of Erwin the Albino elephant, who loved to swim,
and Eos, the most beautiful Moray eel in the ocean,
who swam to shore at the dawn of each day.

Erwin and Eos loved to swim together every morning! 

They fell in love and soon gave birth to Eli,
the only eelephant in the entire history of Asian waters.

Legend has it that fishermen heard of this unique creation by Erwin and Eos
and have been hunting Eli for many moons.

The tides never lie, and with every new moon in the sky,
when the water is at its lowest, Eli gets very lonely and sad.

He searches for a friend to comfort him,
but his awkward appearance scares the other ocean creatures away.

Eli swims as fast as he can through the shallow waters and along a dangerously strong current,
which his parents warned Eli about when he was young.

They said,
"Eli, above the water, fishermen will cast their nets down below
 in hopes of trapping ocean creatures as they travel along the quick ocean current."

However, Eli forgot their words as he let his lonliness take over his emotions
and he swam carelessly into the powerful current. 

His mom and dad also told him about a special gift that he had as an eelephant
that no other sea creature possessed.

However, in his current state of mind, he wasn't thinking about his gifts.

Eli focused on the things he did NOT have.

He thought about the things he wanted and needed, but was not getting.

His thoughts drove him deeper into the dangerous current.

Until....SNAP! 

Eli got caught in his tracks! 

The net pulled him up and Eli suddenly became very scared!

Lifted onto the deck of an old fishing boat,

when the nets fell, the fishermen gasped and pointed their fingers at Eli.

They pointed their fingers down in awe.

It was the myth they now saw!

Eli, the eelephant had FEET!

And with them he crept off the boat and back into the sea!

Where he swims peacefully free.

Until the new moon rises again, and Eli gets lonely...

THE END

Moral #1:  Sometimes your best traits are the ones that others notice.

Moral #2: Sometimes others can point out the things you need to learn about yourself.

Larry Bear and the Endless Sea - Version 3

Some of you may or may not know that I originally started this blog to do one specific thing: 

Self publish a Children's book.

Throughout my journey, I have learned many things, gained and lost my steam, 

and even lost the insight of  my dreams.

However, I sat down and wrote my favorite original clown story into a blank shell of a Children's picture book,while on vacation in San Diego last week, and although it was just the text, 
the process inspired me to push myself even further!

When I returned home, I experienced a scare when I couldn't locate my Larry Bear story and latest revisions.  

Life had been crazy and the folder they were in got misplaced.

Finally, today I found them and I am so happy that I get to share the latest version of my story with you - 


here.

Thanks for being along for the ride!  

Hope you enjoy!


Please let me know what you think!

LARRY BEAR AND THE ENDLESS SEA

by Amanda Steinhaus

Larry the bear travels everywhere.

He lives on a ship and plays sweet music.

His friend, the wind, blows soft into his sail

Moving him onward, a fresh ocean smell

Larry Bear breathes a big breath of fresh air

Then brushes his teeth and combs his white hair.

He spends most of his days far out at sea

Fishing and playing the ukulele!

He sings, "Oh how I love the BIG ocean!

The water so salty and blue!

It's where I go play, everyday -- 

There's no other fun like it, too!"

And it's true, It's blue!  And full of things, too!

Like the fish in the sea who hear his song,

They swim to the surface and dance along.

Larry Bear boogies above on his ship!

He spins and sings with his little bird Skip.

“Ahoy!” says Larry, while Skip looks cute

And they sail all day across the big blue.

The ocean sways for them. It cradles the boat.

There's so much inside it, they’re lucky they float.

Underneath are the fish, whales and seaweed.

A wise old turtle, with stories you see!

So vivid and real with imagery!

Like the one of the drill brought here by man

That drilled all the oil out of the sand.

Big pipes bring it up onto a huge barge,

It’s refined with stuff and used to fuel cars.

This made the man happy and full of greed

‘Til the big drill broke and spilled in the sea!

The seaweed was drowning in thick, black slime

And the birds that ate it had a rough time.

The whale spouted up high -- fresh spilled oil,

And the dancing fish soon began to spoil.

The turtle got oil under his shell

He couldn’t swim around very well.

The air filled with smoke, ruining the breeze,

From the burning oil over the sea.


Poor Skip sneezed and Larry fell to his knees!

From the top of his lungs, he made his plea,

"We must find a way to stop all of this!

Before my fishy friends all perish!

Because of them I am never alone.

Is oil worth it? Worth hurting their home?

The sea once blue, so clear you could see through,

Is filled with black gloops the fish eat for food.

And the birds, whales and everyone else, too,

Are getting sick quick!  It’s terrible news!

But my ocean friends still have a good chance,

If parents and kids learn to change their plans.

If they choose to rides bikes and park their cars,

They can choose to drive less, it’s not too hard!

Because to conserve things and stay in town

Can really cut smog and oil use down!

If we use the free power in our legs

We can save our money for rainy days!

That one little choice will be the BIG voice

That tells this great earth, we value its worth!

Will you choose to plant yourself a tree?

To provide you with your own air to breathe?

Will you choose to keep the big ocean blue?

Will you ask your parents to choose it, too?

The choice is now yours! So try and choose right!

Then my friends and I can sleep sound at night.

New choices will come each day that you wake.

You must learn to choose each choice that you make.

The things you choose now decide the future.

There are lots of things to love and nurture. 

So start with yourself! 

Start with your own health,

And remember good decisions are your greatest wealth!"

THE END

Larry Bear and the Endless Sea

Larry Bear and the Endless Sea
by Amanda Steinhaus for Jada Rose


Larry Bear goes everywhere!
All across the ocean.
He lives on a ship
And plays sweet music!


When the fish hear his song,
They swim and dance along
All night long
Until the break of dawn.


Larry Bear dances above on his ship
He spins and "caw"s with his bird named, Skip.
He plays his flute, while Skip looks cute
As they sail out into the blue.


The ocean is calling them
She brings them home,
So many creatures within
They're never alone.


All of their days,
They dance and play,
Larry Bear and the ocean
Are here to stay.


So it seemed--
Until one day the water turned green,
And black with oil
And the dancing fish began to spoil.


The ocean wheezed and Skip sneezed
And Larry Bear fell to his knees!
From the top of his lungs he screamed,
"We have to stop all of this disease!


The fish are my friends,
With them I am not alone,
Is oil so important
We should ruin their home?


And the water once blue,
And so clear you could see through,
Is filled with black oil blobs
That the fish mistake for food.


My fishy friends can still be saved,
If kids and parents today,
Drive cars and use things
Called alternative fuel machines.


That one choice
Will be the voice
That tells our earth
We know her worth!


Will you choose
To keep her blue?
Will you tell your mom
To choose it, too?


The choice is yours,
So make it right
So me and Skip
Can sleep sound at night.


New choices will come
Each day that you wake,
You must learn to think about
Each choice that you make.


For the things you choose now,
Will determine the future,
There are lots of creatures
To love and to nurture. 


So start with yourself,
Start with your health,
And remember good decisions
Are your greatest wealth!"