Once upon a time...

Once upon a time in the land of eternal sun, there lived a friendly little monster named Ogopogo. His home was in the bottom of a deep, deep lake called Okanagan... Where he loved to swim about and play all day. Ogopogo had two little humps on his back... two little horns on his head and a swishy little tail that flipped when he said "hello". And he always, always wore a smile. Now we all know that monsters never ever smile. We all know that monsters are made to SCARE!

But all the friendly little Ogopogo wanted to do was swim about and smile. This made the master of all monsters really angry, and he bellowed so loud it turned into thunder!!!

But Ogopogo kept right on smiling.

"You must learn how to make loud monster noise"
"You must learn how to scare girls and boys" cried the monster master.

But little Ogopogo just wanted to be friends with everyone instead.

"You must scare all the birds and the bees!!"
"You must frighten the flowers and trees!!" stormed the monster master.

But still... Ogopogo just wanted to be friends with everyone and smile.

"I'll give you one more chance" raged the great monster master.
"You must scare the young fruit! And tender young berries!"
"Spoil the apples and peaches! And sour the cherries!"

Poor Ogopogo tried really really hard. He swam to the edge of the lake, and there stood a sprawling berry tree. Ogopogo attempted a Ferocious, frightening sinister scowl. But lo and behold, it turned into the biggest smile he had ever smiled.

Well, when that smile got all mixed up with the Okanagan sunshine, it turned those berries into the sweetest cherries anyone had ever tasted. All the birds and the bees started flying in circles and singing...

"Keep smiling that smile and it will sweeten"
"The tastiest treat we've ever eaten..."

Next Ogopogo tried an apple tree.. Some tiny little grape vines, and a fuzzy wuzzy peach tree too. But once again his sinister scowl turned into a sunny smile. The little green apples turned rosy red. The tiny vines grew vine-ee-er. The grapes turned shinier. And the fuzzy wuzzy peaches turned even fuzzier and wuzzier.

Then all the animals in the forest joined in the big circle and sang:

"Keep smiling that smile and it will sweeten"
"the tastiest treat we've ever eaten..."

The great monster master was so furious he didn't know what to do. Finally... he banished the little monster to the bottom of the lake forever. But every once in awhile, when the monster master is busy sleeping, Opogogo swims to the surface and burst into smile.

Just like magic, the little berries turn into sweet cherries, the little green apples turn rosy red, the vines grow vine-ee-er, the grapes turn shinier... and the peaches even fruzzier and wuzzier than before.

All the animals... the birds and the bees join in the big circle and sing :

"Keep smiling that smile and it will sweeten"
"The tastiest treat we've ever eaten..."

And if ever you are near that deep, deep lake in the land of eternal sun, be sure and watch for two little humps, two little horns and a sunny smile.

Who knows???

Maybe Ogopogo will even flip his swishy tail and say "Hello!!"

Bye Adeline Rheaume