Ziad and Tuta on the Way to the Sea

The Singing Shell

In Grandma's garden, under the fig tree, there lived a little turtle called Tuta. Tuta loved lettuce, sunshine and long, lazy naps.

One summer morning, Ziad found a white shell among the stones and held it close to Tuta's ear.

Tuta slowly lifted her head. “What is that beautiful sound?” she asked.

“That's the sound of the sea!” said Ziad. “The sea is over there, at the very end of the road, past the sandy hills.”

Tuta closed her eyes and said in a dreamy voice, “In my whole life I have never seen the sea, Ziad. Will you take me there?”

Buzzy in a Hurry

Ziad put on his straw hat, filled a bottle with water and said, “Come on, Tuta, let's begin our journey!”

Tuta took one step... then another step... then stopped to smell a flower.

Suddenly something fast and yellow whizzed right past her nose. It was Buzzy, the bee who never, ever stops.

Buzzy zoomed round and round them. “Where are you off to, slowpoke turtle? To the sea? Ha ha ha! At that speed you'll get there next winter!”

Tuta didn't get cross. She just said calmly, “Maybe I am slow, but I keep on going.”

Between the Strawberries and the Sunflowers

The three of them made their way between the vegetable beds. Buzzy kept racing ahead at top speed, then zipping back to say, “Are you two still here?”

But Tuta saw everything: a red ladybug asleep on a leaf, a strawberry hiding under its leaves, and a tiny worm drawing lines in the soil.

“Look, Ziad,” said Tuta. “This strawberry looks like a little heart!”

At that very moment, Buzzy shot into the sunflower field much too fast... and crashed straight into a big flower! She came out covered in yellow pollen from the top of her head to the tips of her wings.

Ziad laughed. “Oh, Buzzy, you look like a flying piece of cheese!”

The Little Stream

After the field they came to a little stream that ran between the stones.

Buzzy flew over the water. “I'll be across in one second! What about you two?”

Ziad thought for a moment. Then he began placing flat stones in the water, one stone after another, until he had built a little bridge.

“Thank you, Ziad,” said Tuta. “But let me tell you a little secret: turtles can swim!”

Then she slid into the cool water, and paddled happily with all four legs, while Ziad crossed on the stones, holding his arms out wide to keep his balance.

The Sandy Hill

Beyond the stream rose a tall, sandy hill. The sun was starting to sink, and the wind was playing with the grains of sand.

Tuta climbed slowly. The sand kept slipping under her feet, but she didn't stop.

Buzzy, though, had spent the whole day flying this way and that, until her little wings were worn out. She landed on the sand and said in a tiny voice, “I can't... I can't fly anymore.”

Tuta smiled. “Climb onto my back, Buzzy.”

So the bee sat on Tuta's shell and said shyly, “You know, Tuta... I think being slow isn't bad at all.”

The Sea at Last

They reached the top of the hill... and all three of them stood still, without a word.

In front of them lay the wide sea, blue and sparkling, with the orange sun slowly sinking into it.

Tuta walked across the soft sand until the first little wave touched her feet. She laughed. “It's cold! And it tickles!”

Ziad sat down beside her, Buzzy landed on his hat, and together they watched the sky turn pink and gold.

“The sea is bigger than my dreams, Ziad,” Tuta said softly. “Thank you for not leaving me behind.”

Grandma's Lantern

When the first stars came out, they saw a little light swaying along the path. It was Grandma, carrying a lantern and calling, “Ziad! Tuta!”

Grandma carried Tuta home in her basket, Ziad held her hand, and Buzzy flew on ahead, filling the path with her happy humming.

Back in the garden, Tuta fell asleep under the fig tree, and Ziad placed the white shell beside her.

Just before he closed his eyes, he heard Buzzy whispering to Tuta from the top of a flower: “Good night, Tuta. Tomorrow... will you walk with me, nice and slowly? I want to see the ladybug too.”

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