Tuna

and the

red algae

Author: Buthaina Arabi

Illustrator: Kamal Sharaf

3asafeer.com

The original work of this book was made possible through the generous support of the All Children Reading: A Grand Challenge for Development (ACR GCD) Partners (the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), World Vision, and the Australian Government). It was prepared by Asafeer Education Technologies FZ LLC and does not necessarily reflect the views of the ACR GCD Partners. Any adaptation or translation of this work should not be considered an official ACR GCD translation and ACR GCD shall not be liable for any content or error in this translation.

In a faraway ocean next to cluster island, Tuna woke up on the screaming of her brother Twain.

She swam towards him. She tapped on his back with her fin and asked him, “What’s the matter, why are you screaming?”

He looked at her and said, “I want a small red herb that has branched strange strings. Does Tuna know it? Tuna thought and thought then she said, “Aha! You mean red algae! Where did you see it?”

Twain said, “I saw it with a sardine. It looks yummy and delicious. I want one.

Tuna asked him, “But we don’t eat algae. She got out some food and continued, “What do you say about some squids and shrimps? Or the delicious mackerel fish.

Twain screamed and swam quickly up and down all around, then he persistently said, “no, no, I want algae now and I won’t eat anything else.

Tuna thought and thought, how will I get you algae from the bottom of the ocean. She re- membered her friend, sea horse and decided to ask her. Did she swim to the shallow wa- ter today? Tuna searched and searched, until she found her.

She slowly approached her and said, “I need red algae for my brother Twain from the bottom of the sea. Can you get some for me?” The sea horse replied, “Sorry my dear friend, but I’m very slow. You’ll have to wait for a day or two until I get them and come back.

Tuna though, can’t wait. Twain won’t eat anything now. She thanked her and observed her as she slowly swam towards the bottom of the ocean to her house between the coral reef. What will Tuna do now?

Tuna remembered Lamprey fish. She quickly swam towards her and found that she’s attached to a salmon fish. She looked at her and said, “I want red algae for my brother Twain. Can you please fetch some for me?”

Lamprey fish replied, I’m sorry dear friend. I can’t leave my food.” Tuna was so sad, she can’t find anyone to get her the red algae.

After a while she saw a flat fish, despite she lived in the bottom of the ocean, it sometimes comes to the shallow water. It was eating the last shell it was carrying between her fins.

Tuna went towards her and said, “I want red algae for my brother Twain from the bottom of the ocean, can you get them for me? Flatfish replied, “of course I can, but what will you give me in return?”

Tuna anxiously said, “what would you like?” Flatfish replied, “I want some pink shells.” Tuna replied in astonishment, “but pink shells are in the bottom of the ocean too!”

Flatfish firmly replied, “shells for red algae.” Tuna willingly said, “If I’ll go to the bottom of the ocean to fetch the shells, then why not get the algae too?”

Tuna swam towards the bottom of the ocean. She watched sunlight diminish slowly and felt colder the deeper she dived.

The deeper she swam, the less the sound became until it became totally quiet. Tuna raised the temperature of her body and didn’t feel the cold anymore, but she couldn’t adapt with darkness. In fact, she shivered out of fear. She can’t see anything.

Then a dim light near her appeared. She went towards it quickly, as she searched for red algae and green herbs and sea worms. She also found pink shells.

Tuna approached from the source of light. What could it be?

Large big teeth, strange looking and lamps coming from the head! Oh, could it be an angler fish?

Tuna shivered and shivered and swam as fast as she can as far as she could go. The angler fish chased his prey.

She swam faster and tried to take some algae with her mouth, but she couldn’t.

The fish attacked her again. Tuna avoided her as quick as she can and finally she managed to get some algae.

She carried them in her mouth and swam upwards. On her way, she passed by flatfish, and lamprey that is still attached to the salmon fish. She also passed by the sea horse that was still on its way towards the bottom of the ocean

Finally, she could see light and only then she felt safe.

She found her brother Twain waiting for her. He looked at her and turned around and yelled, “red algae, red algae!”

Tuna gave him the red algae and told him, “Bon appetite.” As soon as he put it in his mouth he spitted it and said, “Yuck, it tastes terrible.”

Tuna said as she looked at her shell with great love, “Well then, it’s good that I got a souvenir from the bottom of the ocean.”

Suddenly, she heard Twain screaming again as he pointed towards a sardine eating a cat tail fish: “I want one for me. I want one for me.”

The End