The Emerald Waterfall

Mira is a curious child who loves rocks and never explores without her magnifying glass and pockets full of pebbles. One sunny afternoon, she and her friend Tom follow a stream near town to find out where the water goes. A small brown otter with a woven reed band on one foreleg appears and becomes their guide, and the children name him Pip. As they walk, Tom sketches a map in his notebook while the water grows clearer and a soft rushing sound gets louder.

The stream leads them to a waterfall glowing emerald green in the afternoon sun. Mira kneels at the pool and uses her magnifying glass to study the tiny mineral specks that catch the light and give the falls their color. The friends also notice a floating plastic bottle, a dropped wrapper and trampled ferns, and they understand the place is home to otters and drinking deer. Grandpa Joe, the town naturalist, helps them turn worry into action. Written by Yavuz DEMİRKIRAN, this gentle tale can be read on Online Masal.