The Only Way To Get Stories

There was only one turtle, but I got started anyway. It didn't take long for another to join him. And another. A few minutes later, I heard the Kawasemi bird's whistle and looked over at the branch to the side--sure enough, Peter had come too!

I'd written a second "Koree the Cormorant" story, this time "Koree and the Growing Fish", and I went to Far End to tell it to him, but only the turtle was there. But he seemed to want to hear it, so I told him. But by the time I was done, it seemed there were at least half a dozen turtles and several other critters of that Far End pond who heard the story. I asked the turtles to tell the cormorant a story's been written about him, but maybe I didn't need to ask them specifically; I'm sure he'll hear about it somewhere.

After I was done at Far End, I went to my buddies at the dark and dingy Irrigation Ditch--never want to forget them--to tell them the story too. I realized, after I got there, a lot of the turtles at Far End followed me.

"But you just heard the story," I said to them.

I forgot they can't read books or listen to recordings whenever they want to recall a tale; the only time they can get it is when they hear it told live--mebbe that's why animals are NEVER critical of the raunchiest storytelling!

There are 8 species pictured here: can you pick them out? (The answer will be posted after Koree's story tomorrow.)