the tortoise that tried to swim

In the suburban jungle of Green Meadows,
There was a house where chaos reigned supreme,
Thanks to a 12-year-old boy named Alex
And his pet tortoise, Tumbles.

Tumbles was so named because of his propensity
To tumble down stairs like a wayward slinky.
He harbored dreams of aquatic glory,
Convinced he was a turtle trapped in a tortoise’s life.

One evening, as Alex’s mum drew a bath
Filled with bubbles and battleships,
Alex settled in, eyes closed,
Humming the theme song to his favorite superhero movie.

Unbeknownst to him, Tumbles was plotting
His grand entrance into the world of swimming.
“Today, I sink or swim,” Tumbles declared
To his reflection in the mirror,

Donning a makeshift snorkel crafted from a straw.
With a heart full of bravery and a head full of questionable decisions,
He embarked on his perilous journey to the bathroom.

As Alex drifted in the warm embrace of the bath,
Dreaming of underwater adventures,
Tumbles made his move.
With a running start that was more of a determined waddle,
He launched himself into the air,
Executing what he imagined was a graceful dive.

SPLASH! The water erupted as Tumbles plunged into the depths.
Underwater, his stubby legs paddled with the ferocity of a wind-up toy,
Propelling him straight into Alex’s legs.

Alex’s eyes snapped open, and he let out a scream
That could wake the dead.
“MUM! THERE’S A SHARK IN MY BATH!” he bellowed,
Leaping from the tub like a startled cat,
Suds and water cascading onto the floor.

Mum rushed in, armed with a plunger,
Ready to battle the aquatic intruder.
What she found instead was Tumbles,
Valiantly attempting breaststrokes and looking quite pleased with himself.

“Oh, for heaven’s sake, it’s just Tumbles!” Mum exclaimed,
Rolling her eyes.
She reached for the plug, and with a swift pull,
The water began to swirl down the drain.

Tumbles, now realizing his aquatic aspirations were sinking
Along with the water, flailed helplessly.
“Abandon ship!” he thought, as the whirlpool threatened to claim him.

Mum, ever the hero, scooped Tumbles from the bath
Just as the last of the water gurgled away.
Alex, wrapped in a towel and still shaking from his ‘shark’ encounter,
Glared at the tortoise.

“You’re no turtle, you’re a menace!” Alex scolded,
As Tumbles blinked innocently.

The aftermath was disastrous.
The bathroom looked like it had been hit by a miniature tsunami.
Toys were scattered, towels soaked,
And a very soggy tortoise sat in the middle of it all.

From that day on, Tumbles’s snorkeling straw was retired,
And Alex’s baths were strictly solo missions.
The tale of the tortoise who thought he was a turtle
Became a legendary story in Green Meadows,
A hilarious reminder that sometimes, bravery can lead to bubbly blunders.

And as for Tumbles? He learned a valuable lesson:
When it comes to swimming, it’s best to leave it to the turtles…
And the boys with overactive imaginations.

As for Alex, he never closed his eyes in the bath again,
Just in case another ‘shark’ decided to join him.

And Mum? She learned to keep the bathroom door closed,
Because you never know when a tortoise might decide
It’s his time to shine. Or, in this case, swim.