Oban's Myths & Legends

Why the Flounder is flat
By Josh - Aged 11
Matamata - New Zealand

Long, long ago at the bottom of the ocean floor lived a fish called Bruce.

He was a flounder.

He was endowed with grace, flexibility and size superior to most sea creatures. His boasting and bragging caused them to be jealous.

Even Tangaroa, god of the sea, was red with anger due to the nasty behaviour of the unpleasant flounder. He decided to punish Bruce - he was going to make him flat, weak, and small.

Tangaroa ordered his sea knights to bring Bruce to him.

The knights searched high and low. A snapper told them he knew where Bruce was. “In the coral reefs is where Bruce stays.”

While the sea knights were searching in the coral reefs, they heard a “CLOMP!” with an “OUCH!!” after it.

It was one of the sea knights. He’d been caught in a rusty bear trap. Then suddenly a huge figure appeared.

It was Bruce. “Why have you trespassed my property? Bruce said angrily.

“We come here by the name of Tangaroa, to capture you for the sake of the villagers”, said one of the knights. “That is not possible. I am invincible. I am the best, and I am the one who will be the one, the only one to replace Tangaroa’s royalty when he suffers”, said Bruce.

One of the knights tried to spear Bruce with a sedative spear but Bruce snapped it in half. While one of the knights was distracting him another grabbed their own sedative spear and stabbed the muscley fish. Bruce fell on his face and snoozed to sleep. “Yahoo!!” yelled the knights, rejoicing.

The knights towed Bruce to Tangaroa’s throne. “Well done knights”, Tangaroa said. “Gather all the villagers in my chamber to see Bruce suffer the consequences.”

The knights started telling the good news to the villagers. The villagers were very excited then and hurried to the chamber. Tangaroa spoke to Bruce. “You have been naughty. These villagers will look down on you like you looked down on them! Be ready to face my wrath!”

A blue beam appeared on the tip of Tangaroa’s trident.

From then, as now, flounders were flat, weak and small.

The End