Billy And The Water Monster

Billy was the youngest son of John Smith. When John Smith passed away, the eldest son announced that the house belonged to him. The second son took away whatever riches he could find in the house. Billy left the house, carrying with him a bundle of ropes that neither brother wanted.

As he walked through the forest, he came across a chipmunk. Billy gave the little animal some nuts. The chipmunk took a liking to Billy and followed him wherever he went.

When he came across a rabbit, Billy offered a carrot to the hungry animal. The rabbit took a liking to Billy and followed him.

The three friends came to a pond.                        

“Be careful, Billy, in the cave close to this pond lives a bear,” said the chipmunk.

“You must be careful about the water monster who lives in this pond too,” said the rabbit.

“Now I can put the ropes to some use,” said Billy. He started knitting a net with the ropes.

The water monster had a son, whom he lovingly called Little Ogre. Little Ogre put his head out of the pond. He was startled to see Billy sitting under a tree, knitting a net.

“What are you doing?” asked Little Ogre anxiously.

“Don’t you see I’m making a net?” said Billy, “A big net.”

“How big?” Asked Little Ogre.

“Do you see this pond?” asked Billy.

‘That’s where I live,” said Little Ogre.

“This net will be even bigger than the pond,” said Billy.

“Why do you need such a big net?” asked Little Ogre.

“How else can I catch the pond and drag it to my town?” said Billy, tying one more knot.

Little Ogre jumped into the pond and shook his father, the Water Monster, who was taking a nap. “You are sleeping like a log while a hunter is all set to capture our pond,” cried Little Ogre.

“A pond hunter! Are you serious?” asked the Water Monster.

“I saw him with my own eyes. I talked to him too,” said Little Ogre.

“You should handle him,” said the Water Monster.

“How?” asked Little Ogre.

“Challenge him to a race to the top of a tree. Surely you’ll climb faster than him, and he’ll be behind you. Give him a push. He will fall into the pond, and I’ll eat him up,” said the Water Monster.

Little Ogre liked the idea. He stood in front of Billy. “Let’s race to the top of that tree,” he said, pointing out a tall tree on the bank of the pond.

“Don’t you see I’m busy?” said Billy, “You can race with my little brother,” he said.

Billy’s brother, the chipmunk, ran up the tree so fast that Little Ogre had not even started climbing the tree! Little Ogre went back to the Water Monster. “I couldn’t beat even his little brother,” Ogre said.

“You don’t have to worry,” said Water Monster. “Invite him for a race around the pond. While racing, you give him a push. He will fall into the pond, and I’ll eat him up,” said Water Monster, licking his lips.

Little Ogre liked the idea. He went back to Billy. “Let’s race around the pond,” he said.

“Don’t you see I’m busy?” said Billy once again, “You can race with my younger brother.”

Billy’s younger brother, the rabbit, ran so fast that Little Ogre stood gasping. Sad and disappointed, he returned to the pond.

“I couldn’t beat even his younger brother,” Little Ogre said.

“You don’t have to worry,” said the Water Monster. “Invite him to a boxing match. Start pounding him hard. He’ll run for his life.”

Little Ogre liked the idea. He went back to Billy.

“Let’s box,” he said to Billy.

Again Billy said, “Don’t you see I’m busy? If you still want to box, go to my grandpa, who is taking a nap in the cave there. Give him a kick.”

Little Ogre thought it would be easier to beat an old man. He went inside the cave, where he found the old bear sleeping. He kicked him hard. The angry bear pounced on him and beat him black and blue. Little Ogre had to run for his life.

“I couldn’t even beat his old grandpa. What chance do I have against this fellow?” He cried to the water monster.

“He must be really strong then. Find out how much gold he wants to leave this place,” said Water Monster.

Little Ogre ran to Billy. “How many gold coins do you want to leave this place?” he asked.

“Enough to fill this cap,” Billy said, taking off his cap.

Little Ogre ran to get gold coins.

Just then, the chipmunk came to Billy. “Are you hungry?” asked Billy.

“I’m always looking for nuts,” said the chipmunk.

“I think there are nuts buried here,” said Billy. So the chipmunk started digging.

“I see no nuts,” shouted the chipmunk.

“Dig deeper,” advised Billy.

So the chipmunk went on digging. Then Billy dropped a couple of nuts into the ditch.

“Ah! I got them,” said the chipmunk as he jumped out of the ditch.

Billy quickly punched a hole in his cap and placed it on the ground, covering the tiny but deep ditch.

Just then, Little Ogre was back with a handful of gold coins. He dropped the coins into the cap. The coins went through the hole in the cap. Little Ogre dove back into the pond to get more gold coins. He kept on filling the cap, but the cap remained half full.

Little Ogre did not realize that there was a hole in the cap and that the gold coins were passing through the hole, falling into the ditch. So he brought more and more gold coins. At last, when the cap was full, Little Ogre was relieved.

“I’ll leave now,” said Billy.

To give the Water Monster the good news, Little Ogre ran to the pond.

Billy quickly cleaned up the ditch, made a neat bundle of gold coins, and left. Billy returned to his town. He bought a big house and lived happily ever after.