A Mysterious Cave

A fable by Jane Shimon, age 8

Long ago two basilosaurus brothers named Max and Stanley wanted to find a new cave to play hide-and-seek in. They were tired of the small caves where they lived in a shallow reef off the coast of Panama. One night when their parents were asleep they snuck out and went over the edge of the reef.

Max and Stanley were searching all night and almost gave up but when the sunlight spread they saw the most glorious and stupendous cave! It was about one hundred times their size! The decided that they were going into the cave to play hide-and-seek. It was Stanley’s turn to hide so he swam deeper into the cave while Max counted at the entrance. But when he reached ten they heard a loud, scary grumbling noise. Then it got a little dark and Max looked behind him and saw that he cave was closing.

Max yelled to Stanley “do caves close?”
“I don’t think so. Let’s get out of here!”
Max darted out and said “hurry hurry this cave has teeth!”
“Teeth? This isn’t a cave it’s a megalodon!”

Stanley swam as fast as he could as he watched the big shark’s mouth close in front of him. Just before he was trapped he squeezed out of the jaw but his tail fin caught on something sharp. Stanley wiggled and tossed and pulled and finally he got free. Max and Stanley swam to a hiding spot while the megalodon swam by and by and by and by.  They couldn’t believe how big it was. When it was gone they rushed out of their hiding spot and went home.

Stanley’s encounter with the large shark. 

Original art by Jane Shimon.

When they got over the edge their Mom was looking for them and said “where have you been all day? I’ve been looking for you all day.” Their mom was looking at them and she saw the big tooth in Stanley’s fin and said “You went over the edge?”

“Yes mom we did.”

“You two are grounded!”

As they swam slowly away Stanley said to Max “I’m glad I didn’t get eaten up today!”

“No kidding” said Max

The End

The moral of the story is when you find something new watch out what it actually is.

The Pebble Pup author has been reading a book

 of fables by Aesop and was inspired by those stories 

and a megalodon tooth in the family collection

 to write a fable of her own. 

Meet the Author:

Jane Shimon is eight years old. She's been hanging out with the Pebble Pups since she was two, enjoying field trips with her big brother. She enjoys writing stories, art, skiing and horse back riding.