Green Fish(Keona Liuson) Once it was a pretty world, where grass grew everywhere and trees swayed with the wind. With men, women and children dancing and singing. But now, everywhere was a quiet place where everyone stayed inside either playing video games, watching TV or reading an ebook. No one bothered to go outside. First, it was filled with trash and the sky was grey, and second, for them, video games were more fun. Even the grown ups didn't bother to go outside because outside was filthy, very filthy! Everyone would only go outside to travel above the grey smoke so they could see the way.

But one day a boy named John decided to take a challenge, he wanted to see what it would feel like to go swim in the beach instead of just dipping in a bathtub. So, he slowly stepped into the water and quietly walked deeper and deeper until he was startled by a voice. He looked around but saw no one so he continued walking, then he heard the voice again and looked around. But he didn't see anyone, so he just went on his way. Then suddenly something appeared in front of him and screamed in front of his face and said, "Hey!" It was a fish. This certain fish had a face of a person but a body of a fish and it's face looked exactly like John!

John had a change of mind about swimming so he turned to run towards home but the fish stopped him. The fish said "I was human and now I am placed in the body of a fish. I need help." John couldn't imagine talking to a talking fish so he reached out his hand to see if the fish was real. And, when his hand reached the fish's face, he felt it was cold and sad and he knew it was real.

The fish told him, "John, I need help." John showed a curious face and said "What can I help you with?" The fish replied "I need help with something only a boy like you can handle. You see, I was a young boy like you. I always played tag with my friends and enjoyed the once fresh air, I loved nature and protected it everyday. Then, one day on my way home from the park, a young pretty woman appeared in front of me and turned me into a fish, she told me she hated people like me that took care of the environment, I realized she was the evil witch. I tried telling it to a good witch but she said she couldn't help me get my body back so she gave me a life as a fish and I would live forever until I found the boy to save the environment. I asked how I would find the boy and she told me I looked like the boy I needed, so here I am telling you the story and now, you have to protect the world." The young boy replied "What can a young boy like me do? I'm just a boy!" "You have to do this no matter what." The fish told him. "What should I do?" "Protect the world from pollution and plant some trees and let them grow, pick up some trash and recycle!" "Trees? Recycle?" John replied. "Yes, trees. And reuse what other people see as trash!" So john went home thinking about what the fish said. When he got to bed, he dreamed about what would happen if he didn't follow what the fish asked him to do. He hardly slept at all thinking what he would do...

The next morning John tried calling out to the fish. The fish appeared after 3 calls. John asked, "What should I do first to save the environment?" The fish smiled and said "Well, first you need to plant some trees to make the air cleaner." John replied "But where will I get seeds?" The fish grined and looked in his hand. John looked at his hand too and found a handful of seeds. John was so excited, he forgot to say good bye.

John looked everywhere for a place to plant the trees but couldn't find any! So, he got a styrofoam cup, wet cotton and placed the cotton in the cup and dropped the seed inside. He waited and waited watching the seed for hours! But nothing happened! He tried different ways instead. He tried getting a plastic bag and filled it with water and soaked the seeds. They didn't grow either. So, he called out to the fish and when the fish heard his story, he laughed and laughed! He taught him how to plant a seed properly. John understood so he just drifted off to bed. The next morning, he saw a leaf sprouting out of his styrofoam cup and plastic bag! John was so happy his mom got angry at him for shouting too loud.

Anyway, everyday, John would water the plants and always checked for what the plant would need for it to be comfortable. He would sing to them and tell them about his happy momments. They became his friends. Several plants each day grew happily with John. And everyday John would start piling up soil in his front yard and would plant grass and water them everyday very early in the morning. When his first plant grew bigger than it could fit in the pot, he transfered it outside. From afar, the fish saw him and was very proud. John felt good and very happy. People from his neighborhood began to watch John plant and other children began planting seeds of their own, outside. John was very patient with his plants and when a plant would start dying, he would plant another one to replace it and would try his very best to make the plant stay alive. Finally, after a few months, John's garden was beautiful and was filled with flowers. And slowly his example changed his neighborhood and his neighborhood changed the next neighborhood to the next and to the next until the whole town had tall and healthy plants. The city was convinced and changed the next city to the next. Meanwhile, the clouds began to clear up and the factories started to move away. And the sun shone on the beautiful world!


A few years passed and the whole country became a pretty world with a mix of the future with trees, plants and care for the environment! And from then on, everybody was happy and the fish swam gracefully and happily! Everyone was happy!

The country changed the next country and to the next and to the next until the whole world became clean again.

John changed the world in only a few years with just a simple job.

You see? John just set an example and he changed the world! Can you just take care of one plant for the world today? It would be a big help.

---