The Little Narwhal's Bell

The Little Narwhal's Bell Çınar BİBER

Nori the little narwhal swam through the bright blue ocean. His blue-grey skin was dotted with pale speckles, and his white belly gleamed. Around his spiralled tusk, a tiny seaweed band wiggled. Nori loved to explore, but today the water felt quiet and still. Then, far away, a soft sound drifted by. Ding-ding! Ding-ding! What could it be? 1

Nori tilted his round head and listened. The sound came again, faint but clear. It was a bell! But who would ring a bell down here? Nori's big dark eyes sparkled with curiosity. His curved mouth smiled. 'I must find out!' he said. With a flick of his small flippers, he swam toward the sound. The ocean grew deeper and darker, but Nori was brave. 2

As Nori swam, the bell grew louder. Ding-ding! Ding-ding! It seemed to come from beyond a thick forest of seaweed. Nori pushed through the wavy green leaves. Suddenly, he bumped into someone soft and round. 'Oh!' said a gentle voice. 'Hello there!' It was a beluga whale, creamy white with a melonshaped head and a kind smile. A string of tiny seashells hung around one flipper. 3

'I'm Pip,' said the beluga. 'Are you following that bell too?' Nori nodded. 'I'm Nori. Do you know where it comes from?' Pip's small dark eyes twinkled. 'I think I do! There's an old observatory nearby. I've seen it from afar, but I've never been close. Shall we go together?' Nori felt a happy flutter. 'Yes, please!' he said. 4

Pip led the way through the seaweed. Nori swam close behind, his tusk cutting through the water. 'The observatory is past the coral garden,' Pip said. 'It's a big, round building with a dome on top. Nobody goes there anymore.' Nori's heart beat fast with excitement. 'Why is the bell ringing?' he asked. Pip smiled. 'Maybe it's waiting for someone curious like you!' 5

They swam over a field of bright coral. Little fish darted around them—orange, yellow, and blue. 'Wow!' said Nori. 'Look at all the colors!' Pip nodded. 'The fish know the way too. They always swim toward the old observatory.' A striped fish wiggled past Nori's nose. 'Follow me!' it seemed to say. Nori giggled and swam on. 6

The water grew cooler. Ahead, a dark shape loomed. Nori slowed down. 'Is that it?' he whispered. Pip swam beside him. 'Yes, that's the observatory.' It was a round building covered in soft green algae. A broken dome topped it, and a few bubbles floated from a crack. 'It looks old,' Nori said. 'But not scary,' Pip added. 'Let's go closer.' 7

They swam around the observatory. Windows, once clear, were now cloudy. Seaweed waved from the walls. 'Where's the bell?' Nori asked. Just then—ding-ding!—the sound rang out from above. Nori looked up. There, hanging from the broken dome, was a bell. It was old and green, but it still swung gently in the water. 'It's beautiful!' Nori breathed. 8

'How does it ring?' Nori wondered. Pip pointed with a flipper. 'See that little fish? It's swimming in and out of the bell!' A tiny silver fish darted through the bell's opening. Each time it brushed the inside, the bell chimed. 'It's the fish that rings it!' Nori laughed. 'All this time, a little fish was making the sound!' 9

Nori swam up to the bell. It was bigger than his tusk, covered in tiny shells. He tapped it gently with his nose. Dong! The bell sang out. Nori's eyes went wide. 'It works!' He tapped it again. Dong-dong! Pip clapped her flippers. 'You made it ring!' Nori felt proud. 'I followed the sound, and I found the bell!' he said. 10

Pip swam closer. 'You were curious, Nori. That's why we're here.' Nori looked at the old observatory. 'I wonder what's inside,' he said. 'Let's find out!' Pip said. They swam through a round doorway. Inside, the room was full of dusty glass and old machines. But fish swam happily through the windows. 'It's like a secret clubhouse!' Nori said. 11

Nori and Pip explored every corner. They found a big round window where the light came in. 'This must have been for watching the ocean,' Pip said. Nori nodded. 'I'm glad I heard the bell. I'm glad I was curious.' Pip smiled. 'Curiosity is a good thing. It brings surprises.' They sat together and watched the fish swim by. 12

The bell rang again—ding-ding!—as the little silver fish swam through. Nori sighed happily. 'I want to come back here,' he said. 'Me too,' said Pip. 'We can meet here every week.' Nori's heart felt warm. 'We'll be friends,' he said. 'And we'll always follow the bell.' They touched noses. 'Deal,' said Pip. 13

It was time to go home. Nori and Pip swam back through the seaweed and past the colorful fish. 'Thank you for helping me,' Nori said. 'Thank you for being curious,' Pip replied. 'You found something wonderful.' Nori's tusk with its seaweed band bobbed as he swam. He felt happy and proud. The ocean seemed brighter than before. 14

When Nori got home, he told everyone about the bell and the observatory and his new friend Pip. 'And the little fish rings the bell!' he said. His family smiled. 'You followed your curiosity,' they said. 'And look what you found!' Nori curled up in his cozy cave and listened. Far away, the bell rang softly, ding-ding, just for him.