Kai enjoys sharing stories about mythical creatures with the children in his village, just as his grandmother did for him. But when his wild imagination begins to blur the line between reality and fiction, he angers the grown-ups in his village.
Suddenly, Kai finds himself face-to-face with a mischievous Kappa—a legendary creature from his very own stories. With no one to help, Kai must outwit the Kappa using the lessons hidden in the books he knows so well.
Or is this just another story in the making?
Kai enjoys sharing stories about mythical creatures with the children in his village, just as his grandmother did for him. But when his wild imagination begins to blur the line between reality and fiction, he angers the grown-ups in his village.
Suddenly, Kai finds himself face-to-face with a mischievous Kappa—a legendary creature from his very own stories. With no one to help, Kai must outwit the Kappa using the lessons hidden in the books he knows so well.
Or is this just another story in the making?
Kai lived in the sleepy town of Willow Creek, where the water whispers and willows grow tall. Kai loved stories, especially spooky ones. One day, Kai shared an old book with several neighborhood kids. It was a book gifted to him by his grandmother and housed creatures that only a wild imagination could drum up. The children were on the edge of their seats as Kai spoke the opening line from the book's fragile pages, "Watch out for the Kappas." Kia's storybook instructs readers never to get too close to one and to be respectful if they should speak to a Kappa. Talking respectfully is sound advice concerning everyday exchanges in the real world!
The young audience was curious about what a Kappa looked like. Me too! Kappas are a blend of two animals (a reptile and an amphibian). Their heads are round and filled with magical water, giving them unique abilities. (Read the story to unlock more details about the "make-believe" creatures.) Kai went on to tell his listeners that the Kappas love to play tricks and snatch children into the water. This spooky spun tale of lies is a story a person would tell around a bonfire or late at night with a flashlight, making only their face aglow. It's meant to frighten listeners, and Kai's delivery of words did just that. A kid cried while others clutched each other's hands for support. Their parents were not pleased with Kai and told him to stop filling their kids' heads with fairy tales.
Kai enjoyed playing pretend and make-believe, but his life soon became like that of "The Boy Who Cried Wolf," one of many Aesop's Fables. Kai thought it would be amusing to pretend a Kappa was there to take him away. The townspeople followed him to the creek, quickly realizing Kai had tricked them. Kai did not relent with his tall tales, and his story took a surprising turn, much like it did with the shepherd boy who repeatedly tricks the townspeople into thinking a wolf is attacking his sheep: What was supposed to be a work of fiction suddenly becomes a reality for the young boy from Willow Creek.
The author's description of the Kappas helped me formulate an image, but I couldn't believe how far off I was in design once I saw the Kappa in the flesh, so to speak. The artist's image far surpassed anything I could have imagined. The Kappa had curly black hair, wore ripped clothing, and had pink seaweed strewn here and there on its body. The creature’s face had a chilled look, much like Crush, the sea turtle in Nemo. The Kappa could do one thing Crush couldn't: it could collect water on his bowl-like head. Wait until you see Kappa bowing; you might find yourself singing, "Tip me over and pour me out." Head to ankle, the Kappa gave island vibes and was very cute. (The water covered the Kappa's feet; that's why I said, "head to ankle.)
When one cries wolf too many times or lies, it's difficult for people to trust someone when they swear they are telling the truth this time. That's the lesson in the famous Aesop's Fable and what's happening in Kai and the Kappas. The story serves as a powerful reminder of the consequences of dishonesty and the importance of always telling the truth.
Share this modern twist on a classic fable with your kids, ages 4 years and up, and help them understand the importance of telling the truth. Remind them that people will not trust your word if your past words were built on lies.