Topsey

Tivy was very curious and was a good learner. Grandpa Carmi had found a plastic sheet with holes in it. He knew these were dangerous things to have around turtles. But now, he got a sharp shell and cut off two strips of the plastic sheets. Each had two holes in it. Then he went to find his friends the seagulls. He told the seagulls his plan. He told them he needed some of their feathers to make substitute flippers for Tivy. The seagulls loved his plan, and they searched around the island and found some loose feathers. They scooped them up and took them to Grandpa Carmi. Grandpa Carmi used the sharp shell to cut the sharp ends off the feathers. He used some of Mrs. Jelly Fish’s JellyJel to paste the feathers to one end of the plastic strips he had cut. He folded the other end of the plastic strip over and made sure the two holes were lined up perfectly together.

Then he said, “Tivy, let’s try this on.”

Tivy was a little puzzled, but he let Grandpa Carmi wrap the stretchy cord around him, with the feather rings laced onto the sides. The feather rings fit just where Tivy’s little arm’s poked out.

Grandpa Carmi had to make a couple of adjustments, but then he said to Tivy, “Alright Tivy, let’s give them a try.”

He told Tivy how these would be his substitute flippers, and he would have to practice making them work. Tivy crawled down to the water and slid in, with Grandpa Carmi close beside him. At first, Tivy couldn’t make the substitute flippers move. But Grandpa Carmi showed him just where to place his arms to make the feathers work. Tivy tried this, and he felt a little movement.

He said, “Grandpa Carmi! I can swim! These are not substitute flippers, these are magic flippers!”

Tivy practiced and practiced and practiced. All the turtles were on the beach watching as Tivy practiced with his new flippers. Some of the turtles slid into the water and swam beside him, offering encouragement. When it was time to go home, Tivy didn’t want to quit practicing. He had to because he was very tired.

The next morning, Tivy was up before anyone else.

He went over to Grandpa Carmi and said, “Grandpa Carmi! C’mon. Let’s go practice!”

Grandpa Carmi got someone else to go down to the ocean and practice with Tivy.

When he got home that night, Tivy said, “Grandpa Carmi, I’d like to go over to Topsey’s cave and practice.