Joaquim...The Little Fish That Wanted to Fly!

The Cristal Lagoon was the favorite spot for the little animals of La Fortuna Forest to come together and play. Many came to drink and collect water because it was the purest and clearest water in the mountain.

Luna the sloth, Carmen the bunny, Folgie the frog, and Sayra the friendly squirrel would often visit the lagoon after school to splash rocks and swim with Joaquim, an intelligent little fish that would tell them about the wonders of life underwater.

However, Joaquim was also curious about life on land and would ask them how it felt to climb a tree, feel the grass under their toes, and how it felt to run on land, but his biggest dream was to fly like a bird.

Luna and her friends encouraged little Joaquim to keep dreaming, even though his dream seemed impossible as he was just a little fish. “Don’t stop dreaming, little friend; everything in life starts with an idea and a dream,” His friends said.

Joaquim was inspired by his friend's words and decided to find a way to fly. He was determined to explore the forest from above, climb up trees, visit the nearby lagoons to see his cousins, and maybe, just maybe, even swim in the ocean, which he had heard was like a vast lagoon with endless water and countless creatures.

He thought, who better to teach me how to fly than my friend Scarlet, the sweet macaw that visits the lagoons every morning?

"Hi Scarlet, I hope you are having a lovely day," said Joaquim.

"Thank you, Joaquim. Yes, I am having a very nice morning," replied Scarlet.

"Scarlet, I need to ask you a favor. I see you at the Lagoon every morning, and I was wondering if you could give me flying lessons. If you could be my teacher?" Joaquim asked politely.

"Your teacher? Teach you what, my dear Joaquim?" Scarlet exclaimed.

"I want you to teach me how to fly," Joaquim replied confidently.

Scarlet appeared puzzled and couldn't help but laugh. "Are you kidding me, Joaquim? You're a fish!"

“You teach me how to fly, and I will show you where to find the best berries that have fallen from the trees into the lagoon. I know you love them!” Joaquim said. “

“Well, I am not sure how we will do this, but I will be your flying instructor.” Said Scarlet in a playful tone.

Scarlet kept her promise and showed up every morning to teach little Joaquim how to fly. The other fish in the Lagoon would laugh uncontrollably at the sight of this brave fish attempting to fly like a bird. They started calling him "The Feather Fish," which he proudly accepted as a compliment rather than an insult.

Despite his efforts and diligence, flying proved more complicated than anticipated. Scarlet would gently grab him out of the water and urge him to flap his tiny fins as hard as possible. She would then release him in midair, only to see him fall back into the water time and time again.

Joaquim was sad, but this curious and brave little fish was not about to give up. He had another idea.

"Scarlet, since I cannot fly alone, could you carry me and fly with me to the nearby lagoon to see my cousins? " Said Joaquim.

Scarlet agreed to do something that had never been done before. Typically, only birds of prey would carry fish out of the water and fly away with them. This was never something a macaw had attempted before, but Scarlet was just as daring and curious as Joaquim, so she agreed to try it.

As the other fish watched in amazement, Joaquim and Scarlet took flight together. Joaquim was smiling from gill to gill as he saw the forest from above. From high up in the sky, the large lagoon now seemed small.

They arrived at a nearby lagoon, where Scarlet gently dropped Joaquim into the water. He swam with his cousins, whom he had never met, as well as his uncles and aunties, who gave him fresh seeds to carry back home for his family. They couldn't believe that they had a visitor from the Cristal Lagoon, something that had never been done; they were all amazed by this daring little fish.

Joaquim shared with his cousins about his life in the Cristal Lagoon and how huge the forest looked from high in the sky. He also credited his accomplishments to the encouragement from his friends Luna, Carmen, Folgie, and Sayra, as well as, most importantly, his dear friend Scarlet, the most fantastic teacher in the forest.

Scarlet and Joaquim returned home feeling proud and accomplished after completing their flight. While still soaring through the sky, little Joaquim suggested that their next destination should be the Deep River at the edge of the forest; and Scarlet agreed.

Together, day by day, they ventured through La Fortuna Forest, soaring in the sky, a brave little fish that, despite his inability to fly, found the support of a friend to make his dream a reality. Scarlet and Joaquim are great examples of courage, teamwork, and initiative.  

Dream Big!

Don't let anyone stop you from taking flight and soaring!