Deep under the ocean, in a sparkling coral castle, lived a little mermaid named Coral. Coral had a beautiful, magical singing voice. When she sang, all the fish would stop to listen. The seahorses would dance, and the dolphins would smile. She loved to sing more than anything. But one morning, Coral woke up and tried to sing a good-morning song. Nothing came out. Only a tiny, little bubble. 'Pop!' She tried again. 'Pop!' Her beautiful, magical song was gone. It was lost!
Coral felt so sad. A little tear rolled into the salty water. 'I must find my song,' she whispered. She looked in her treasure chest of shiny shells, but her song was not there. She looked under the waving, green seaweed, but it was not there either. She saw a friendly dolphin swimming by. 'Dolphin,' she whispered sadly, 'have you seen my song? I lost it.' The kind dolphin whistled a sad sound. He had not seen her song. Coral swam sadly through the quiet, blue water. The ocean felt too quiet without her music.
Coral swam to a dark cave where the Wise Old Sea Turtle lived. The turtle was very old and very smart. 'Wise Turtle,' Coral whispered, 'I lost my beautiful song. I have looked everywhere, but I cannot find it. Is it lost forever?' The Wise Old Sea Turtle blinked his slow, kind eyes. 'Oh, little mermaid,' he said in a slow, deep voice. 'A song is not a thing you can lose like a shell. A song is not in a treasure chest. A song is a feeling. It comes from your heart. It comes out when your heart is full of feelings, like happiness or love.'
Coral pointed to her heart. 'My heart?' 'Yes,' said the turtle. 'You are not sad because you lost your song. You lost your song because you are sad. Tell me, what makes your heart feel happy?' Coral thought. 'Well, I love my dolphin friends. I love the warm, bright sunlight that dances on top of the waves. And I love my sparkling coral castle.' As she thought about all the things she loved, her heart felt warm and full. A little hum came out. Then a little note. She was so happy! She opened her mouth and the most beautiful, magical song came pouring out. Her song was never lost at all. It was in her happy heart all along.