Ray the Super Shiny Goldfish and the Beautiful Serpent

Days passed by after Ray and the troubling of goldfish encounter with Dr. Evil Fish and his henchfish. Since then the Super Shiny Goldfish started to earn a heroic reputation all over the Lake of Plentiful.

Back at their cave, Ray and his friends were playing around and having fun. Soon Ray did not feel like playing with everyone.

“What’s the matter, Ray?” asked one of the goldfish.

“Oh, nothing. I just don’t really feel like playing right now,” answered Ray with a sad tone.

“Oh, really? Well, if, you feel like playing some more we’ll be right here,” said another goldfish.

Ray swam out of the cave and into the lake. As he swam around the lake, all the fish that saw Ray greeted him with the utmost respect and thanked him for saving the lake from Dr. Evil Fish. Ray just smiled and swam away trying to find some sort of solitude from everyone.

“What’s wrong with me? Why do I feel so lonely?” questioned Ray.

Small Lushan waterfall

The Super Shiny Goldfish then swam to the farthest part of the lake where a small waterfall was. He positioned himself under the rushing water and went into a meditation. Ray meditated for several hours trying to find out what was going on with him.

After coming out of his meditation, Ray realized that it was getting dark and that the others would be worried about him. He started slowly making his way back to the cave while he used his power to glow dimly so he could see.

About halfway back to the cave Ray noticed a change in the lake. The lake was much quieter than usual about that time. Ray immediately concealed his glow in hopes of not attracting whatever it was that made everyone run away so quickly back home.

“Aaahhh! I can’t see anything!” a voice screamed out.

Ray felt something whizzing by a few times so close that if he stuck his fin out, he would have hit whatever was going so fast.

“Maybe one of the guppies is lost,” thought Ray.

He then grew bright and saw whatever was swimming around so fast was right in front of him.

“Aaaahhh!” screamed the frightened thing crashing into Ray.

“Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Calm down there. It just me, Ray the Super Shiny Goldfish,” said Ray trying to calm the aquatic animal down.

“It got so dark so suddenly. Where am I?” asked the aquatic animal.

“This is the Lake of Plentiful. Who are y-,” said Ray pausing to take a look at the beautiful creature that just crashed into him.

“My name is Lana. I’m a water serpent. Sorry for swimming into you like that,” apologized Lana.

“Uhhh,” said Ray dazzled by the beautiful Lana.

Milotic swimming around

 “Umm. Hello? Are you okay? I didn’t hit you that hard did I?” asked Lana.

“Uh, um, no I’m okay. I’m just uhh. Yeah, I’m okay. I’m okay,” replied Ray trying to not act so awkward.

“Hehe. You’re talking kind of funny. Do you know if there is a place I can stay?” wondered Lana.

“Y-yeah. I have a place you can stay at for the night or however long you would like to stay,” answered Ray still trying to collect himself.

The two swam back to the cave talking about where Lana came from and why she came to the Lake of Plentiful. Once they arrived at the cave, Ray used his ability to brighten the way to where the others were at.

“Hey, Ray! Where have you bee-? Whoa! Who’s the beauty?” asked one of the goldfish who was stunned by the beauty of Lana.

“I just went out for a long swim and bumped into Lana here who is a water serpent from several lakes over. She’ll be staying here for the time being,” answered Ray.

Ray led Lana to his side of the cave and said that she could sleep on his rock bed while he slept on a spare bed. The two never really fell asleep because they stayed up all night talking about their lives.

The next morning came by and Ray showed Lana around the lake and introduced her to all the inhabitants. They enjoyed each other’s company so much. Ray started feeling much happier as he spent time with Lana.

A heavenly sky

 After a couple days of spending time with one another, Lana asked Ray, “Hey, Ray. How would you like to come with me to the Heavenly Waters of the Sky?”

Puzzled, Ray asked, “What is the Heavenly Waters of the Sky? Where is that?”

“It is where all great aquatic creatures go to become immortal,” replied Lana.

“Let me think about it, okay?” said Ray.

“I will only give you until tomorrow afternoon to decide,” said Lana with a stern face.

Ray went back into the cave and lay on his bed thinking about what to do. If he left with Lana, then he would be the happiest he could be with such a beautiful serpent. However, he would leave behind his friends who he promised he would lead till the end of time. Ray became stressed over the situation and passed out from thinking too much.

When Ray woke up, it was nearly afternoon. He knew that Lana would be waiting outside of the cave for his decision so he swam out to meet her. All his friends watched Ray as he swam out of the cave.

“Hello, Lana,” said Ray.

“Have you made your decision?” asked Lana.

“Yeah, I have. I choose to stay here in the Lake of Plentiful with my friends,” answered Ray.

“What? You turn down a once in a life time chance to be immortal to be with your friends?” questioned Lana.

“Yep. I made a promise and I’m going to keep it,” said Ray.

“Suit yourself then,” said Lana as she revealed her wings and flew straight up out of the lake.

Ray turned around and swam back to the cave.

“You guys wanna party?” asked Ray.

Author’s Note: The Celtic story that inspired “Ray the Super Shiny Goldfish and the Beautiful Serpent” was Connla and the Fairy Maiden. The only aspect that they share in common is the appearance of a beautiful being who came to take a character away to become immortal beings. My characters are mostly fish and a serpent while the original story has human characters and a Fairy Maiden. Another difference between the two stories is that Connla chooses to go with the Fairy Maiden to the Plains of the Ever Living while Ray chose to stay with his friends and keep his promise.

The story of “Ray the Super Shiny Goldfish and the Beautiful Serpent” happens after Ray’s previous encounter with Dr. Evil Fish. Days after Dr. Evil Fish’s defeat, Ray has a problem about being lonely and in need of something new. The Fairy Maiden is replaced with Lana the beautiful water serpent. Both females offer the characters to a life of immortality, but that’s where I added my twist to the story where Ray stays with his friends because of a promise he made with them.

The pictures I use helps my readers imagine how the waterfall looks like as well as how Lana looks. I imagined Lana to look very similar to the Pokemon Milotic who is said to be the most beautiful of all Pokemon. The picture of the heavenly sky gives a rough imagery of how the Heavenly Waters of the Sky looks.

Bibliography. "Celtic Fairy Tales" by Joseph Jacobs (1892). Web Source: Sacred Text Archive

Extra Reading Diary: Celtic Fairy Tale

Celtic Fairy Tales

Connla and the Fairy Maiden

Connla and the Fairy Maiden

This story had an interesting love aspect to it. A Fairy Maiden who wants Connla to become her lover made me wonder why she chose him. It does not really explain much aside from her wanting him. The Fairy Maiden just seems to come out of nowhere and persuades Connla to come be with her in the Plains of the Ever Living. She also says that he will be crowned as royalty and will never age or die. This place of never dying seems a little too good for me, but I guess she was really serious about it since she came back again to get Connla. The situation that Connla was in is quite problematic because he had to choose between staying with his family and people or go with the Fairy Maiden and live forever. I honestly would not know what to do because having a life of my own with a beautiful Fairy Maiden and live forever or to stay and live a normal life and grow old with my future wife are both very hard decisions to make.

Two Horned Woman

The Horned Women

This story basically retaught me to never let strangers in the house. The horned women who were witches just barged in as soon as the lady opened the door. I felt that the story could have been more interesting if the witches had a purpose to go to this specific house to spin wool. Instead these witches just seemed like pests that came in to take space and order the lady to make some cake. The way that the lady repelled the witches was quite interesting in particular since she used the water that she washed her children’s feet as a barrier to keep them out from entering in. Then the cake that the witches made was placed in the mouths of the sleeping children could not help the witches come into the house since it was broken into pieces. This story was interesting but it just needed some sort of purpose. Unless the purpose of the story was to repel witches or something like that.

Extra Storytelling: The Super Shiny Goldfish Vs. Dr. Evil Fish

Asylum Lake

In the Lake of Plentiful, there lives a goldfish named Ray that could shine as bright as the sun. He was given the title of Super Shiny Goldfish by his friends. Ray and his friends worked and played every day and always returned safely to their home which was an underwater cave.

Life was usually peaceful in the Lake of Plentiful. The lake hosted many different fish and creatures in its vast body. One fish in particular was the largemouth bass. This big mouth bass was called Dr. Evil Fish due to his cruel behavior towards other fish in the lake and he was especially evil to Ray.

Largemouth bass opening its wide mouth

“Who does he think he his huh? All shiny and bright and shit,” contemplated Dr. Evil Fish.

“He’s Ray, the Super Shiny Goldfish sir,” answered one of Dr. Evil Fish’s Bluegill henchfish.

Bluegill in a tank

“I know that already. Ugh, you henchmen aren’t helping. I’ve got to come up with a plan to capture Ray and find the royal algae to become ruler of the lake,” said Dr. Evil Fish.

Meanwhile, back in the underwater cave Ray and his friends were preparing to go out into the lake to go look for food to eat. Ray swam in front and led the group so that they would not get lost.

“Alright, guys, be on the lookout for any good algae to bring back to the cave,” Ray directed the group.

The group of goldfish continued looking for food around the lake. They swam from one end of the lake to about half way around it. During their search for food they encountered Dr. Evil Fish.

“At last. We meet again Ray the Super Shiny Goldfish of the lake,” shouted Dr. Evil Fish.

“It’s you again. What do you want?” questioned an annoyed Ray.

“I am here to capture you and your petty friends so that I can rule the lake. Prepare yourself!” explained Dr. Evil Fish. “Henchmen! Throw the net!”

Dr. Evil Fish’s henchmen threw a large fishing net over the troubling of goldfish to trap them to the floor of the lake.

Ray, struggling to get out of the net, yelled, “Argh! Where did you get this net?”

“Muahahahaha! It was left by a fisherman who gave up fishing near this part of the lake,” laughed Dr. Evil Fish. “Now if you’ll excuse me I have plans to find the royal algae on the other side of the lake and rule over it.”

Dr. Evil Fish swam away to complete his plans of domination followed by his henchmen. With Ray and the other goldfish left under the fishing net, there was no other fish who could stop Dr. Evil Fish.

“Oh no! Dr. Evil Fish is getting away!” squealed one of the goldfish frantically flailing about under the net.

All of the goldfish were panicking and squirming around. They were afraid of dying of hunger since they could not get out of the net. This thought only made the situation worse and the goldfish flailed around even more violently than before.

“Guys! Stop! Listen to me!” ordered Ray.

No one listened and continued panic. Seeing that everyone was too much in a state of panic, Ray used his powers and shined brightly to catch the attention of his friends.

“Now listen to me. We all must swim up together to lift the net,” said Ray calmly.

Everyone looked at one another and began swimming upwards together. Little by little they were lifting the net off of the bottom of the lake. Soon enough Ray and the other goldfish lifted the net high enough to escape.

Finding Nemo: Just swim down scene

During this time of their escape, Dr. Evil Fish had already reached the other side of the lake and found the royal algae.

Dr. Evil Fish shouted happily, “Yes! I have found it! The royal algae that will make me the king of this lake!”

As Dr. Evil Fish was slowly getting closer to the royal algae, Ray swam as fast as he could and screamed, “Hey! Dr. Evil Fish! Take this!”

Dr. Evil Fish turned and looked at Ray, who was shining as brightly as the sun.

“Ah! My eyes!” yelled Dr. Evil Fish and his henchmen.

Ray then ordered his friends to throw the fishing net onto the blinded Dr. Evil Fish and his men. After capturing Dr. Evil Fish, Ray took the chance to grab the royal algae and throw it out of the water and on to the land that surrounded the lake.

“No one will ever rule over the Lake of Plentiful. The lake belongs to the fish that live in it,” said Ray shining brightly over the trapped Dr. Evil Fish. “Oh, and thanks for the tip about your plans and for the fishing net.”

“Curse you, Ray!” shouted Dr. Evil Fish.

Ray and his friends returned to their cave and had a huge party to celebrate the defeat of Dr. Evil Fish.

Author’s Note.

The story that inspired this heroic tale was the fable of The Eagle and The Arrow from The Fables of Aesop: An Eagle was soaring through the air when suddenly it heard the whizz of an Arrow, and felt itself wounded to death. Slowly it fluttered down to the earth, with its life-blood pouring out of it. Looking down upon the Arrow with which it had been pierced, it found that the shaft of the Arrow had been feathered with one of its own plumes. "Alas!" it cried, as it died: "We often give our enemies the means for our own destruction."

In my story I changed the situation and the characters. It is also one of the adventures of The Super Shiny Goldfish who I decided to name Ray to make the main character have an identity. Also, a group of goldfish are called a trouble of goldfish which was mentioned in the story. The character Dr. Evil Fish was inspired by cartoon villains from my childhood as well as a small reference to Dr. Evil from Austin Powers. I used the moral of the original fable and created a heroic themed story and spoiled the plans of the evildoer just like the many superhero cartoons I used to watch. The images I used in this story give readers a view of how the lake looks like as well as the characters in it. I chose Dr. Evil Fish to be a largemouth bass simply as a pun since he could not keep his mouth shut and told Ray about his evil plans to rule the Lake of Plentiful. This story is another great addition to my fish-themed Portfolio and serves as somewhat of a continuation to the story of The Super Shiny Goldfish.

Bibliography. “The Fables of Aesop” by Joseph Jacobs (1894). Web Source: Internet Archive