A Bedtime Story

More Adventures of Percy the Penguin


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Once upon a time in the frosty lands of Antarctica, there lived a vivacious penguin named Percy. Percy was not like the other penguins who were content sliding on ice and catching fish. He enjoyed dancing, and inventing fun new moves like the “Penguin Plop” and performing them for his arctic pals. Percy also had a wanderlust that was as big as the iceberg he lived on, and he had a dream: to vacation in the warm, sunny Caribbean.

Every night, Percy would gaze up at the stars, dreaming of sandy beaches, tropical fruits, and reggae music. His friends laughed at him, saying, “Percy, penguins belong in the cold!” But Percy was determined.

One day, after saving fish for months, Percy finally collected enough to trade for a ticket to the Caribbean. He waddled onto a cruise ship, clutching his little suitcase and a pair of sunglasses, excited for the adventure that lay ahead.

As the ship sailed into the azure waters of the Caribbean, Percy could hardly contain his excitement. He arrived on the shores of a beautiful island, where palm trees swayed and the warm breeze ruffled his feathers.

Percy wasted no time. He flopped onto the golden sands, stretched out his little wings, and basked under the sun. He was in a blissful paradise, a penguin's dream come true.

However, Percy, being from the icy Antarctic, had no idea about the dangers of the sun. By midday, he felt a strange tingling sensation spreading across his back. It wasn’t long before his black and white feathers turned a shade of lobster red. Percy had gotten a sunburn!

In distress, Percy waddled to the nearest coconut stand and bought the largest hat he could find. The islanders, amused by the sight of a sunburned penguin, offered him some aloe vera and a bottle of sunscreen.

As Percy sat in the shade, applying aloe vera to his sore feathers, he learned his lesson—the hard way. From that day forward, Percy never left home without a bottle of sunscreen.

The rest of his vacation was spent under the protection of a large umbrella, with a cool drink held in his flippers, and a wide-brimmed hat on his head.

When Percy returned to Antarctica, he became somewhat of a legend. His sunburn adventure was the talk of the colony, and he was known as the penguin who conquered the Caribbean, albeit with a rosy souvenir.

Then one day, while sharing his story with a group of young penguins, Percy received a mysterious postcard from the island. It read, "Thanks for the lesson, Percy! We've started a new fashion trend here called the 'Penguin Red.' It's a hit!"

Percy chuckled, realizing his sunburn had inadvertently started a beach fashion craze. He was not just a sunburned penguin; he was a style icon!

And so, the story of Percy the penguin became a cautionary yet hilarious tale for all Antarctic dwellers—never forget your sunscreen, even if you’re just a penguin on vacation, unless you're aiming to be the next fashionista!

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A Bedtime StoryBy Matthew Mitchell