Joshua and the Shimbly

by AJ Hunter

Joshua loved exploring the outdoors. He was always searching for an adventure.

One morning he came across a Shimbly.

Plants do not have mouths, so they have to communicate by movement.

"Hello, young man" it wiggled, starting from its roots up to its petals.

Joshua straightened his body and wiggled "hello" back.

Unfortunately, Joshua wiggled from his head to his toes. He didn't realize that wiggling "hello" backwards is a very offensive thing to wiggle to a Shimbly.

The Shimbly was so outraged that it thrashed and twisted every insult it knew!

The Shimbly shook itself so violently it caused one of its petals to fall off!

"Whaths thith?!" spun the now lopsided Shimbly. "What wiw evewyone thay?!"

Even though the Shimbly had shaken some horrible things, Joshua felt sorry for the plant with its new wiggle impediment.

Joshua decided to help the Shimbly and pulled out his yellow handkerchief.

"Blimey! What a smashing new look for me! Thank you, me lad" shook the Shimbly in a brand new accent.

"I apologize for being so cross. A frightful overreaction, that was. Please , take my petal as a thank you".

The wind lifted the petal so wells that Joshua was able to wear it as a cape and fly! He couldn't wait for all his new adventures to begin!

The end.

"What?! I didn't know I could fly!"