In the deep, clear water, where sunbeams drew dancing patterns on the sandy bottom, swam a small, curious little fish. His name was Speckle, and his little body was a play of colours. He was as orange as the setting sun, with three snow-white stripes that looked as if they had been painted by the brush of the most skillful artist.
Speckle was new to this coral reef. Everything here was amazing and full of life for him. Fish of all colours and shapes flickered around him, snails slowly carried their homes, and little shrimp played hide-and-seek among the rocks. But such a big and bustling world was also a little dangerous for a small fish. Larger fish would sometimes look him over with a gaze that was a little too hungry.
"I need to find a safe home," Speckle said to himself and looked around. His gaze fell upon something magnificent. In the middle of a small sandy clearing stood a sea anemone. Its tentacles swayed in the current like long, gentle fingers. It looked like the softest and most comfortable bed in the world.
"Wow, that's perfect for me!" Speckle rejoiced and was about to swim towards it.
"Stop! Don't do it!" cried a little blue fish, who quickly hid behind a rock. "That anemone stings! If you touch it, it will sting you badly!"
Speckle stopped. He looked at the blue fish and then back at the anemone. It looked so inviting. "Are you sure?" he asked.
"Absolutely!" the little fish peeked out. "A careless crab got too close to it yesterday and jumped back as if it had touched a hot coal. We're all afraid of it."
Speckle grew thoughtful. The other fish really did avoid the anemone from a distance. They swam around it at a safe remove. But he… he didn’t feel fear. He felt a strange curiosity. "What if it doesn't affect me?" he wondered aloud. "What if I'm different?"
He decided to find out. But not foolishly and bravely. He did it carefully, just as his parents had taught him when trying new things.
First, he approached the anemone just a little. He watched its swaying tentacles. They were truly beautiful. Then, very, very slowly, he extended his tail fin and ever so gently touched one of the tentacles with its tip.
He expected a sting. But nothing happened. He only felt a soft, pleasant tickle, as if someone had stroked him with a feather.
"It works!" he whispered to himself with a smile.
He turned to the hidden blue fish and waved his fin. Then he gathered more courage. Slowly, he rubbed his whole side against the anemone. And again! Nothing, just a pleasant touch. Speckle twirled in the water with joy. His body was covered in a special, invisible slime that protected him. It was his secret protective coat.
The anemone, whose name was Ripple, also noticed Speckle. Usually, everyone was afraid of her, so she was often alone. She felt the little orange fish touching her, and it was different. It wasn't unpleasant. On the contrary, Speckle's cheerful frolicking rid her of tiny grains of sand and small bits of debris that had settled among her tentacles. It was as if someone was giving her a pleasant massage and cleaning up at the same time.
Speckle carefully hid among her soft tentacles. It was wonderful! He felt completely safe. No big fish would dare to follow him in here.
"Hello," he said softly to the anemone. "Can I live here? I'm Speckle. In return, I will help you and keep you clean."
Ripple couldn't speak in words, but she gently moved her tentacles and hugged Speckle even closer. It was her clear "yes". She finally had a friend.
From that day on, Speckle and Ripple were the best team on the reef. Speckle had the safest home he could wish for. Every day he swam out to find something to nibble on, and then he returned to his soft little bed. In return, he repaid Ripple. He carefully picked off all the specks of dirt and drove away small parasites that could harm her. He kept her clean and healthy.
One day, a large, grumpy grouper named Goliath swam by. He spotted the small, orange Speckle dancing merrily in front of the anemone. Goliath's stomach rumbled.
"Ha! A tasty little dinner," he muttered and darted towards Speckle.
Speckle saw him at the last moment. His little heart leaped with fear, but he knew exactly what to do. He darted deep into the safety of Ripple's tentacles.
Goliath greedily lunged after him, but he forgot where Speckle was hiding. His large nose touched Ripple's stinging tentacles.
"OW! It burns! It stings!" Goliath cried out and quickly backed away. He shook himself in confusion and swam away with an offended look. He never came near the anemone again.
Speckle peeked out carefully. He was safe. Ripple had protected him. He gently rubbed against her, as if to say "thank you". She answered him with a gentle wave.
The other fish, who had watched it all from a distance, finally understood. Speckle and Ripple weren't just neighbors. They were friends who helped each other. Each of them had something the other needed. Ripple provided a safe home, and Speckle took care of keeping her clean. Their friendship is called symbiosis. It is proof that when two work together, they can achieve much more together than either could alone.
And what about you, children? Try to look around on your next walk in nature. Maybe you'll notice a bee collecting nectar from a flower and pollinating it at the same time. That, too, is one of the beautiful examples of how nature knows how to help itself.