The Boy and the Little Otter

On a warm Saturday morning, Eli takes a snack and water bottle down the path behind his house to the river. Sitting on a flat rock with his toes in the cool water, he watches dragonflies and small fish until a sleek brown shape slides off the far bank: a young otter, about the length of his arm, that rolls, dives and chirps as if putting on a show just for him. Eli is delighted by the little animal's speed and trust, and the two spend a happy while simply watching each other.

The mood changes when a plastic bag drifts past the log and the otter darts away, startled. Looking further along the bank, Eli notices more litter caught in the reeds and water that seems cloudy and dull. A helper in a green conservation vest explains why otters need clean water to hunt, swim and raise their pups, and why litter and pollution make their lives harder. Eli asks to help, and under her supervision he pulls on work gloves and fills a small bag with wrappers, a paper cup and tangled fishing line while she fishes a bottle out of the reeds. This gentle story by Aysel Banu YAVUZAL can be read on Masal İzle.