Once upon a time, there was a mermaid who lived in a crystal clear lake surrounded by lush green pastures. She loved to watch the equestrian riders gallop across the fields and admired their grace from below the surface of the water.

One day, she noticed that the riders kept avoiding a certain area of the pasture because of a monstrous creature that lived there. The creature was known to squirm and be crotchety, scaring off anyone who dared to approach.

The mermaid was curious, so she swam to the shore and snuck up to the monster. To her surprise, she saw that the monster was simply a reflection of herself! She was so used to admiring the riders that she had forgotten to take care of her own appearance.

From that day forward, the mermaid made an annual tradition of grooming and pampering herself so that she could be as beautiful as the equestrian riders she admired. And the riders no longer avoided the area, for the monstrous creature was gone and in its place was a stunning mermaid.

Reflections

1. What did the mermaid see in her reflection that made her change her habits?
2. Why did the equestrian riders avoid a certain area of the pasture?
3. How did the mermaid feel about herself before and after she started grooming herself?
4. Why was it important for the mermaid to take care of her appearance?