I'm not a shark any more ......

[jms_mlr]

One day, two prawns, Christian and Cecil, were drinking at the
Coral Bar, discussing things that prawns discuss. One of the
topics was the local shark population, on whose diet was prawns.
"I wonder what life would be like as a shark." said Cecil. "It
would be interesting to find out what it's like to be the enemy.
Don't criticise it until you tried it, you know!"

"Well, I don't know how that can be done." said Christian. "I'm
sure I wouldn't want to be a shark."

As the two friends left the bar, a huge bolt of lightning from
the tropical storm raging above the surface hit the sea next to
where Cecil was swimming. Lo and behold, he found that he had
turned into a shark.

"Wow" he thought, "So now I can actually find out what life is
like as a shark. No more cowering in crevices, afraid of being
eaten, able to swim far and wide. It's fantastic!"

As time went on, he discovered that, not surprisingly, all his
old prawn friends were not interested in talking to him. He
gradually became more and more lonely, and started pining for his
old way of life.

"Oh, how I wish I could become a prawn again, and be able to talk
to my old friends. I wonder if another lightning bolt could
change me back to being a prawn?"

A couple of days later, as a storm blew in from the far horizon,
a large lightning strike hit the sea's surface next to Cecil.
Flash, bang, and he was once again a prawn.

"Oh, yes!" he cried. "now I must swim back to the bay, and meet
my friends again. They won't believe what has happened. I can't
wait to tell them!"

A day's fast swim brought him back to the bay where he had spent
all his life as a prawn, and he immediately went to Christian's
home, an old conch shell. As he knocked on the shell, he called
out "I'm back, it's Cecil."

"Oh no, I'm not falling for that old shark trick." called out
Christian. "If I come out, you'll eat me."

"I won't, I promise. Please come out and we'll go and celebrate
at the Coral Bar!"

"No, no, I don't believe you. You were a shark when I last saw
you, and I know what tricks sharks will play to get a meal. Go
away!" called Christian.

"I'm not a shark any more ......
.
.
.
.
.
Wait for it
.
.
.
.
.
.

... I'm a prawn again, Christian!"