I built my house under this tree

My heart’s right here, would you like to see

I’m one of you and you are in me.

Let me into your boat and we’ll row together

We’ll play tug of war with the whale

You’ll be rowing, I’ll be singing

Until the big fish swims far away.”

Everybody looked at Vister. Vister guessed rightly that they want to take him to the boat.

“Oh, no!” Vister stepped back. “I’m staying here. I won’t get into that, that thing riding the waves. Oh no…no….no!”

But Kara had picked him up and Thinker as well.

“Hello!” Kara shouted over to the children. “May I have a ride?”

The boys and girls on the boat laughed. They waved back and rowed their boat near the beach where Kara was. Soon Kara was in the boat. The children spoke another language. But Kara understood some of what they’re saying. She knew they were talking about her hair. She liked the color of theirs though, shiny black as the sun touched them.

Vister asked, “What are they saying?” He covered his face as they boarded the boat. “No I wouldn’t look,” he kept repeating.

Ohhhhhhhhhhh; ohhhhhhhhhh; ohhhhhh Vister cried as the boat rode the small waves of the sea. One girl and two boys rowed the boat. Vister was open flat on Kara’s chest, feeling seasick. He peeked at the deep, blue waters on his belly. Multicolored fishes playfully flipped their fins.

Kara said to her new friends in the boat, “This is Vister, Thin, and Rei. They’re my friends from the library.”

The children looked at her and laughed. “Ulandis” one of them pointed to her hair. “parang mais” and then they laughed again.

Kara found this funny too. That’s a good one for the color of her hair-corn color. Twirling some strands of her hair she said, “meyis.”

Everybody laughed.

Thinker joined in the laughter. Then feeling the air clear up, he sang from the bottom of his heart page.

“Your skin is red, and theirs are brown

Your nose’s too high, and theirs are flat

Their arms are skinny, and yours too plump

But then you can’t ever row so fast.”

The children joined in the singing. Ready, one, two three, Rei conducts:

“We’re too different yes we are

And yet we’re children in one boat

Kara’s mangroves are ours

And Vister and Thinker we browse.

And Vister and Thinker we browse.

They sang this over and over again as they rowed. Vister got so dizzy and fell asleep, secure in Kara’s embrace. Meanwhile, Thinker didn’t move lest he fall down from Kara’s lap, except when he got carried away and waved his arms as Rei did when they sang.

“Rei,” Thinker pondered, “what makes this boat ride fun?”

“I’m a doll. What do I know?”

“Maybe, it’s those little flying fishes.”

“Maybe, the clear, blue clouds?”

“Maybe, the warm, friendly breeze.”

“Maybe, the mangroves!”

“It has to be,” said Thinker “I’ve never seen such lush green leaves in my shelf life.”

Finally, they returned to shore. Kara carefully got out of the boat. Her friends waved at her as they rowed away.

“Lunch time now,” said Kara, “under the mangroves.”

“And what is for lunch?” asked Vister who perked up.

“Fish,” said Rei.

Once again, Vister fell flat on the beach and there, Kara was in his page having lunch.

Thinker was picking stones from the fish.

Rei was watching them munch.

Vister had to wait for his turn for everybody was inside his pages.

But before he could have his share of the grill, Ms Dans came and told Kara, “Your mother calls you Kara. Time for lunch.”