A talking-fish comedy about an explorer whose ocean is smaller than he thinks.
Kevin wanted to explore the bottom of the ocean. Unfortunately, he lived in a pond. He studied its deepest corner anyway, convinced that a truly determined explorer would not let a small geographical inconvenience stop him.
One day, Kevin decided to take matters into his own fins and tried to swim down as deep as he could. He kicked his fins furiously and went deeper and deeper until he suddenly hit the bottom of the pond. But as soon as he reached the bottom, Kevin realized that he had made a terrible mistake.
The muck at the bottom of the pond was thick and sticky, and Kevin found himself stuck in it. No matter how much he struggled, he couldn't break free. His tail flapped frantically as he tried to pull himself out, but the muck held him tight.
“Kevin, what on earth are you doing down there?” came a voice beside him. His best friend Gary, a goldfish, had followed the trail of disturbed muck.
"I'm exploring the deep-sea, Gary!" Kevin shouted back.
"But Kevin, we live in a pond, not the ocean!" Gary replied, trying not to laugh.
Kevin had to admit that Gary had a point. He was stuck in the muck at the bottom of a small pond, not exploring the depths of the ocean. Embarrassed and covered in muck, Kevin finally admitted defeat and asked Gary for help.
Gary found a long plant stem and offered one end. Kevin clung to it while his friend pulled; with a thoroughly undignified slurp, he came free. Back in clear water, Kevin announced that the expedition had yielded valuable information. Gary asked whether that information was “mud.”
Kevin never again mistook the pond floor for the open ocean. The others still called him Captain Deep-Sea, and he accepted the title. He had, after all, returned with a story. Gary had returned with a very dirty plant stem.
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