Stay Away From Strangers

One sunny afternoon, while splashing near the deep end, the gosling spotted something enormous rising from the water. It was a big, round, gray hippopotamus with a pink snout and a very friendly smile!

"Hello there!" the hippo rumbled warmly.

The little gosling wasn't scared at all. Instead, he chirped happily, "Hello! Do you want to play hide-and-seek?"

Before long, the tiny gosling and the big hippo were having the time of their lives. The hippo would blow giant bubbles that floated like crystal spheres across the pond, and the gosling would leap up to pop them, giggling all the way.

Splash! Bubble! Whee!

Meanwhile, Mother Goose was gliding nearby when she noticed her little one playing with the giant creature. Her feathers ruffled in pure anger and panic. Hippos were huge! What if her gosling got stepped on? What if the hippo caused a giant wave?

"Come here right this instant!" Mother Goose honked loudly, flapping her wings in a tizzy. She waddled over, looking furious, and pulled her little one away behind her safe wing.

"Mother, why are you so upset?" the gosling asked, tilting his head. "He is just playing nice games with me!"

"Hippos are much too big, and ponds are for feathered friends!" Mother Goose scolded, her beak set in a stern line. "It's simply not proper, and it's dangerous!"

The hippo looked down, his big brown eyes turning sad, and he began to sink slowly back beneath the water, leaving only his snout showing.

Just as Mother Goose turned to lead her gosling back to the nest, the sky suddenly grew dark. Low rumbling thunder echoed across the meadow, and a fierce, gusty wind began to blow.

WHOOSH!

A sudden storm rolled in, whipping up angry, choppy waves in the pond. Mother Goose and her gosling were caught right in the middle, and a heavy gust pushed them toward a sharp cluster of jagged rocks near the edge.

"Oh no! We're drifting too fast!" Mother Goose honked, unable to paddle against the strong current.

Suddenly, a giant gray shape emerged right in front of them. It was the hippo! Using his strong legs and broad back, he created a gentle barrier against the wind and waves, blocking the rough current and pushing them safely toward the shallow shore.

When the storm passed and the sun peeked back through the clouds, Mother Goose let out a long sigh of relief. She looked at the hippo, who had saved them from the rocks, and realized her anger and worries had blinded her to a kind heart.

"Thank you," Mother Goose said softly, bowing her head in gratitude. "I judged you by your size, and I was wrong to be so angry."

The hippo smiled his big, friendly smile. "That's quite alright. Mothers worry!"

From that day on, the pond was a happier place for everyone. Mother Goose learned that friends come in all shapes and sizes—even giant, bubble-blowing hippos—and the two unlikely pals continued their fun adventures together every single day.