The Boy and the River Dolphin

Arjun lives in a small house beside a wide, slow river. Every morning he takes his green canvas satchel, notebook and pencils to the bank to watch the water. One day a smooth grey shape rises to breathe: a river dolphin with a long slender snout, a curved dorsal fin and a gentle, playful smile. Arjun begins writing down everything he observes, and when his best friend Meera visits, she joins him. Together they map where the dolphin swims and where it surfaces, noting the calm, clean pools near the reeds.

Their study turns into concern when they notice trash floating in the water and a plastic bag drifting close to the dolphin. Books at the library teach them that the animal needs clean water, plenty of fish and safe places to swim, and that pollution and litter threaten all of it. Arjun and Meera decide to act: they make a bright poster about the dolphin and its habitat, hang it at the community center, explain what they have learned to neighbours, and organise a river cleanup day with friends and family. This tale by Çınar BİBER can be read on Masalcı Baba.