How Corn Came Into Being

The Lucky Octopus
Ollie the octopus only had seven legs.

"The last one will grow," the ocean doctor said the day Ollie was born.

"But when?" asked Ollie's mother. She was very sad.

"When Ollie turns eight years old," the doctor said.

For seven years, Ollie's brothers and sisters teased her about her missing leg. She was the youngest octopus in the family. Her sister Olivia was the oldest.

"Ollie only has seven legs because she isn't part of our real family," Olivia told the other sea creatures one day.

It was a lie, but everyone believed Olivia because she was the oldest.

When the other sea creatures played games like tag and hide and go seek, Ollie's brother Oscar wouldn't let Ollie play.

"You can't catch a fish with only seven legs," Oscar said. "Go and find a friend that has an extra leg to play with."

Ollie searched around the ocean, but there weren't any kind sea creatures to play with. She was very lonely.

One day Ollie's brother Orlando saw Ollie playing by herself in the seaweed. He was very happy.

"Guess what I found today, Ollie!" Orlando said. "A treasure chest. It is from a ship and it is full of beautiful jewels."

"Can I see it?" Ollie asked. "I have always dreamed of seeing a treasure chest."

"I'm not showing it to anyone!" Orlando said. "Especially not a tiny octopus with only seven legs."

Ollie went home and told her mother that she was sad. "Everyone treats me differently because I only have seven legs," she said.

"Don't worry," her mother said. "Tomorrow is your eighth birthday and you will finally grow another leg! Then you will never be lonely."

That night Ollie dreamed that she grew another leg. Everyone celebrated and ate delicious food. She was so happy. But the next day, when Ollie woke up and counted her legs, there were still only seven.

Ollie hid in the seaweed patch and cried. She was so sad. Suddenly a sea fairy appeared. It was the tiniest creature Ollie had ever seen.

"You are the...