The sand tray’s tale

Sand Tray

Two alligators were exploring the sand pit late at night. The sand tray was quite happy about this. All the playroom toys liked traipsing round him, pushing holes, digging caves, climbing mountains and exploding volcanos.

At night, the toys were usually all in bed and the sand tray was able to have a rest and straighten himself out. But Jake and Jody had forgotten to put the alligators to bed. And the alligators were looking for some fun!

Big Alligator said to Little Alligator, “Let’s climb up this slope and see what’s over the back edge. We never get to go there.”

Little Alligator nodded his head happily. His sharp white teeth glowed in the silvery light of the moon as it shone through the windows of the playroom.

Sand Tray thought to himself, “Oh dear, they’re up to mischief!” But he said nothing. He knew they would do what they wanted, even if he warned them not to.

Big Alligator led the way, and both of them scrambled up the steep sandy slope. They kept slipping back because the sand kept moving. But after a lot of effort they stood right at the top and peered over the back of the sand tray to see what they could see far below. Their tales flipped and flapped behind them.

“It’s very dark,” said Little Alligator nervously. “The moon doesn’t shine down there.”

“You’re just scared,” said Big Alligator. “You’ve spent too long in the river. It’s time to be brave.”

“Well, you go first,” said Little Alligator, “and I’ll follow you.”

Sand Tray chuckled to himself as he listened to them.

Suddenly the silence of the playroom was broken by a loud YELL.

Little Alligator shook with fear. Big Alligator had just slipped right over the edge and fallen down into whatever was down below in the dark.

Sand Tray was not at all surprised when Little Alligator called out in a frightened voice, “Sand Tray, Sand Tray, you’ve got to come and help. There’s been an accident.”

Sand Tray said, “I don’t have to do anything. You were both going where you should not be going. If you were so brave before, why are you so frightened now? Doesn’t Big Alligator like huge fierce dragons?”

“Dragons?!” squeaked Little Alligator? “Dragons eat alligators for supper!”

“So they do, sometimes! But that dark ravine is where Dragon goes hunting every night, and as he’s hungry, he’ll find a nice juicy alligator really delicious.”

Little Alligator was now crying big tears all down his green snout. They ran onto his sharp white teeth and dripped onto the sand in the tray.

“Please help,” he whimpered. “We were only wanting some fun.”

Sand Tray had had his own fun by now. He knew there wasn’t really any dragon down there. The dragon always hunted on the high ground. But he had wanted to teach the naughty alligators a lesson they wouldn’t forget.

“White Owl!” he called out. “White Owl! Are you awake yet?”

White Owl came whizzing out of the darkness and landed in the sand tray in a shower of sand. “W-whoooo needs me?” he twit-twooed.

“Me… or rather Big Alligator does,” said Sand Tray. “He’s down in the ravine where he fell. Can you hook him out with your large claws, please?”

“Certainly, I will,” said Owl. “We wouldn’t want him to get eaten, now would we?” And he winked with his large black eyelid.

Then Owl flew over the edge and brought Big Alligator back into the sand tray. Big Alligator looked very sorry for himself and both alligators settled down very quietly in a corner of the sand tray and fell fast asleep.

“They’re not bad animals, really, are they?” said Owl, kindly, to Sand Tray. “Sleep well,” he twit-twoo-ed, as he flew off to his branch to watch and wait till morning.

The moral of this tale is that you should be kind and help even if people have caused their own problem!