Lily loved the sea more than almost anything. She loved mermaids and seashells and dolphins that leaped through the waves. One sunny afternoon she sat on the rug with a big box of colorful blocks, and she began to build. She stacked red ones, then blue ones, then yellow ones. Soon she was yawning a little, and she rested her head on a soft pillow beside her castle. And in the happiest, dreamiest way, she shrank down small and stepped right through the castle door.
Inside, the castle was bright and warm and glowing. The walls were made of blocks in every color. The floor was a patchwork of green and orange squares. Tall windows were shaped like seashells, and through them Lily could see a sparkling blue sea.
"Welcome, Lily!" called a cheerful voice.
A little mermaid named Coral was floating in a bubble of water that rolled along the floor like a tiny, gentle boat. She had a shiny teal tail and a big smile. Beside her bobbed a young dolphin named Pip, who clicked and whistled hello.
"We have been building the Shell Castle," said Coral. "Would you like to help us?"
"Yes, please!" said Lily.
Coral showed her a huge pile of blocks shaped like shells. Some were pink, some were gold, and some were pearly white. "We want to build the tallest shell tower in the whole castle," said Coral. "Then we can see all the way across the sea."
So the three friends got to work. Lily stacked the blocks carefully. Coral passed her the pretty ones. Pip carried the big ones on his nose, and he balanced them very well.
Up and up the tower grew. It was as tall as Lily's shoulders, and then as tall as her head. Click, click, click went Pip, as if he were counting.
Then Pip tried to lift one last golden block. Whoops! The tower wobbled, and a few blocks tumbled down with a soft, bumbly clatter. They bounced on the floor and rolled in every direction.
Pip looked down at his flippers. "I am sorry," he whistled in a small voice. "I tried to go too fast."
Lily knew just what to do. She did not frown, and she did not sigh. She smiled and gave Pip a gentle pat on his smooth, shiny back.
"That's all right, Pip," she said. "Everybody tumbles a tower sometimes. We can build it again together."
Coral clapped her hands. "Lily is right! Friends are still friends, even when the blocks fall down."
Pip's whole face lit up. He gave a happy little flip, and a few sparkling drops sprinkled down like rain.
So they started again. This time Lily and Coral held the tower steady while Pip lifted each block slowly. The tower grew taller and taller. At last Pip set the golden block on the very top, and it did not wobble at all.
"We did it!" cheered Coral.
The three friends climbed the winding block stairs to the top. There they looked out through a round window. The sea shimmered like silver, and the sky glowed pink and peach. Far away, other dolphins leaped in graceful arcs, and tiny shells twinkled on the shore.
Coral gave Lily a small, pearly shell on a string. "This is for you," she said. "It is to remember that you are a good friend."
Lily held it close. "Thank you," she said softly. "I will keep it forever."
Being kind to Pip, even when the tower fell, had made the whole day feel warm and bright.
The sky grew softer and softer. The waves went hush, hush, hush. Lily's eyes felt heavy, like warm sand. She waved goodbye to Coral and Pip, and she stepped back through the castle door.
And there she was on her rug, snug beside her block castle, with the soft pillow under her head. Mom tucked her into her cozy bed and pulled up the blanket. Lily snuggled down with a happy sigh. She thought of Coral's smile and Pip's little whistle. The room was quiet and the blanket was warm. Lily closed her eyes, and she fell fast asleep, safe and happy and loved.
馃寵 The End 馃寵
This story was written by AI for an example child named Lily, and it passed the same safety check every Tuck-In Tales story gets before it's sent.