Hello!
My name is Magar and I am a crocodile. I live in a river which was clean earlier but, now, it is polluted. There are plastic bottles and wasted tin cans floating in my river. I asked my friend Popat, the parrot, to take help from some humans and clean the river. He agreed.
He went to a group of girls playing along the river and called out, "Hey! I need your help. This place is home to many creatures. Would you like it if anyone makes your home dirty? No! Right? Then please help us by not littering," Popat exclaimed.
There was a pin drop silence. After a while one of the girls understood the message. She started cleaning the river side. Watching this girl, the others also joined. The girls were doing a wonderful job together.
The next moment they heard a growling sound from water. A head popped up. It was me, Magar! Seeing a crocodile, they started to run for their life. But my dear friend Popat urged them to stay back, explaining that I was there to express my gratitude. Though I'm an animal, I very much know the importance of the word, ‘Gratitude.’
I thanked each of them for their kindness.
Then they promised to spread my message to everyone they meet, that is, to keep the river clean and save it. Now our home has become a cleaner and better place. We are happy now!
Moral of the story: A clean river means a happy home—for animals, birds, children, and grown-ups too!
Student of Class 5, PSBB Millennium School, OMR, Chennai
Illustrator, Art & Design, Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi.