A small sandstone hit the wall next to next to Pogi Fish as he slept. A spiral shell hit the wall, followed by a scallop shell.
"Rrr-ahhh!" growled Pikon.
It wasn't unusual for Pikon fish to have a temper tantrum. In fact, Pogi Fish had become quite used to flying sea shells.
"What's wrong now?" asked Pogi.
"You know how I hate sea shells on my side of the cave."
"Well, I didn't put them there."
"If you didn't do it, how do you think they got there?"
"How should I know?"
"Rawr! I don't know either!"
Pikon roared as he tossed the rest of the shells and rocks aside. Afterwards, he ran his fins over the sand until it was flat and smooth.
Nothing was said between the brothers for the rest of the day. Pogi slept on his side of the cave and Pikon slept on his side.
The next morning, shells and rocks and bones flew across the room.
"Again?" shouted Pogi.
"Yes! Again! I wake up in another mess on my side of the room!"
Pikon pitched a sandstone across the cave with his snout. It skittered through the door and landed in the kitchen.
"Peeeee-konnnnn!" bellowed Papa Fish.
When Papa Fish called out, Pikon knew he better listen. He skulked out to the kitchen, where mother and father waited.
"How many times must we tell you that throwing a tantrum is no way to solve a problem?" asked Mama Fish.
"A bunch," muttered Pikon.
Papa Fish cleared his throat.
"And you know...he who throws sea shells by the sea shore will soon be alone on the beach."
"Papa, you're not helping," said Mama Fish, "Did you just make that up?"
"It fits, doesn't it?"
"I think what your father is trying to say is that you don't make friends by throwing things at them, especially your brother."
"I guess," said Pikon.
"Now apologize to him," said Mama.
"I'm sorry, Pogi."
"I forgive you, little brother."
The third night, Pogi had a good sleep, but another rude awakening.
"Rawr!" growled Pikon.
"What?"
"Shells!" spouted Pikon as he flung a sea shell.
"And rocks!" He flung a rock across the cave.
"And this piece of glass!" As the glass hit the wall, it shattered into tens of pieces.
"Peeeee-konnnnn!"
Big Papa Fish strutted into the boys' room and glarded at Little Pikon.
"What did I tell you yesterday?"
"I'm sorry," said Pikon.
"Sorry isn't enough," said Papa.
Just then, Mama entered the room, too.
"What started this, anyway?" she asked.
"Somebody put shells on my side of the cave."
"How can you be sure you didn't do this?" said Mama.
"It happened while I was sleeping."
"It just so happens I was in the kitchen late last night and I heard you tossing and turning. Guess what?"
"What?"
"You were having a nightmare. You tossed and turned and stirred up all this dust."
Mama Fish cleared away the sand, exposing a large pile of trash.
"Our cave sits atop a trash heap."
"Oh," said Pikon.
"And look over here," said Mama Fish.
She fetched a sliver of glass from Pogi's side of the room. It was part of a broken marble from Pikon's marble collection.
"Oh no!" groaned Pikon, "I broke my cat's eye."
"Yes, it is."
"I'm sorry, Pogi."
"That's okay," said Pogi.
"Sorry isn't enough this time," said Mama Fish.
"It isn't?"
Mama Fish shook her head.
"You're grounded for an entire month."
"That's so long," said Pikon.
"That will give you plenty of time to do Pogi's chores, too."
"But..."
"No buts. You made your bed, now you have to lie in it," said mother.
That night and each night thereafter, Pogi got a good night's sleep followed by a good morning, too. Pikon, on the other hand, kept himself busy, paying back Pogi for the way he'd treated his older brother and falsely accusing him of making messes in the cave.
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MORAL: People who fly into a rage always make a bad landing - Will Rogers
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