Jeannie The Baby Black Swan

Jeanie lived with her mother and two brothers near a pond surrounded by beautiful fragrant flowers. On every sunny day, Jeanie swam around the pond catching dragonflies and enjoying the wonderful smells in the air. She felt like a queen and she knew she was beautiful for her mother told her so every day. Jeanie could hardly wait until she had shiny black feathers and a regal bearing like her mother.

One day, Jeannie decided to ditch her brothers and go exploring. Sometimes a girl just needs to be alone without the pushing and shoving of rowdy playmates. So she headed for a stand of cattails on the other side of the pond to see what she could find.

Jeannie was swimming through the cattails when she heard someone singing in a clear, beautiful voice. “I have to see who that is,” she said aloud and headed toward the sound of the music. Imagine Jeannie’s surprise when she pushed through the cattails and came to a clearing where a baby mermaid sat on a rock singing at the top of her lungs. When the baby mermaid saw Jeannie, she stopped singing and stared at her.

“Why did you stop?” Jeannie asked. “I’ve never heard such a beautiful voice. My mother sings sometimes but her croaky voice reminds me of a frog.”

“Who are you?” asked the baby mermaid. “Why did you interrupt me?”

“I’m Jeannie,” the baby swan replied. “And I had to find out who was singing.”

“Go away,” said the baby mermaid with a quaver in her voice. “Just go away.”

“Why are you so sad?” asked Jeannie. “Anyone who can sing like that should be happy.”

“I’m lost and I’m singing because it keeps me from crying.”

“Oh,” Jeannie told her. “I’ve been lost but my mom always found me. Where’s your mom?”

“I don’t know,” the baby mermaid told her with a sniffle. “I was picking purple monkey pods to make her a necklace and wasn’t paying attention where I was going. When I turned around to go home, I couldn’t find my way.”

“Why don’t you come home with me and I’ll ask mom to help you,” suggested Jeannie.

“I’m not supposed to do that.”

“Why not?”

“Because no one is supposed to see me,” the baby mermaid told her and burst into tears. “Now I’m really in trouble.”

“Millicent! Millicent! Millicent! Where are you?”

“Who is that?” asked Jeannie when she saw the baby mermaid look all around.

“That’s my mom,” the baby mermaid told her. “She must have heard me singing. Quick. Run and hide. I’ll really be in trouble if she sees you!”

“Okay,” Jeannie told her. “I’m gone. I’m glad your mom found you.”

Jeannie turned around and paddled home just as fast as she could. What an exciting adventure! She was so excited to tell her mom and her rowdy brothers that she met a baby mermaid even though they wouldn’t believe her. Everyone knew mermaids didn’t exist or live in ponds, especially her pond.

Copyright 2020, Katharine Giles
The Archer Adventures