Once upon a time, there was a brave young man who loved to explore the rivers in his canoe. One day, as he paddled down the river, he came across a giant whirlpool. He tried to maneuver around it, but his canoe got stuck on a snag. The young man was afraid, but he didn't give up.

He carefully climbed out of his canoe and onto the riverbank. There, he saw a big catfish slithering through the water. The young man approached the catfish gingerly, holding out his bow. The catfish looked up at him with beady eyes and spoke.

"If you want to save your canoe, you'll need to follow me," the catfish said. The young man followed the catfish down the river, dodging past sycamore trees and rocks. Finally, they reached the edge of the whirlpool.

The catfish pointed to a narrow path that wound around the whirlpool. "This is the only way to save your canoe," the catfish said. The young man took a deep breath and started to follow the path, moving slowly and carefully.

As he made his way around the whirlpool, he felt the strong current pulling him under. But he kept his balance and finally made it to the other side. There, he found his canoe, safe and sound.

The young man thanked the catfish and clambered back into his canoe. He paddled away, grateful for the catfish's help. From that day on, he always remembered to be careful when exploring the rivers and to always watch out for whirlpools.

Reflections

1. Why did the young man get his canoe stuck in the whirlpool?
2. How did the catfish help the young man save his canoe?
3. What did the young man learn from this adventure?
4. Why was it important for the young man to be careful when exploring the rivers?
5. How did the young man feel when he finally got his canoe back?