0:00:02 > 0:00:03Go on, Salty!
0:00:09 > 0:00:11# Come with me, we're off to the sea
0:00:11 > 0:00:14# To where I used to play
0:00:14 > 0:00:16# Looking back when I was a boy
0:00:16 > 0:00:18# And the fun we had each day
0:00:18 > 0:00:21# All through the cobbles and through the streets
0:00:21 > 0:00:23# Playing in the sun
0:00:23 > 0:00:25# Friends to meet with games and the treats
0:00:25 > 0:00:28# Adventures just begun
0:00:28 > 0:00:30# Stories from a magical world
0:00:30 > 0:00:32# Washed in by the sea
0:00:32 > 0:00:35# Meet the rockpool creatures there
0:00:35 > 0:00:38# It's amazing what you see
0:00:38 > 0:00:42# Looking back when I was a boy
0:00:42 > 0:00:45# Shrimps and starfish Crabs and snails
0:00:45 > 0:00:47# In twinkly rockpool tales. #
0:00:47 > 0:00:49OLD JACK LAUGHS
0:00:49 > 0:00:52# Those lovely rockpool tales. #
0:00:56 > 0:00:58Oh, hello!
0:00:59 > 0:01:03Salty and I have just been looking at our beards.
0:01:03 > 0:01:08Salty's rather pleased because her beard is longer than mine.
0:01:08 > 0:01:14Well, Salty my girl, my beard is just as lovely in its own way.
0:01:14 > 0:01:17And it's good that we all look different.
0:01:17 > 0:01:20It makes life more interesting, doesn't it?
0:01:20 > 0:01:24Which reminds me... of a windy day once
0:01:24 > 0:01:27when Little Sailor Sue's hair looked very different indeed.
0:01:29 > 0:01:33It all happened when I was a boy.
0:01:33 > 0:01:36In a twinkly time long, long ago...
0:01:38 > 0:01:41..I used to run down to the beach as often as I could,
0:01:41 > 0:01:46meeting up with my best friends, Little Ernie and Little Sailor Sue.
0:01:48 > 0:01:52There was one day, I recall, when a travelling fair had come to Staithes
0:01:52 > 0:01:55and we had all been to visit it. And guess what.
0:01:55 > 0:01:59Ernie had won a coconut at the coconut shy.
0:01:59 > 0:02:03Now, in those days, a coconut was a very special treat.
0:02:03 > 0:02:08When the coconut was cracked open, Ernie shared it with us.
0:02:08 > 0:02:12The fruit inside was rather chewy, but very tasty.
0:02:12 > 0:02:16And the coconut shell was hairy on one side and smooth on the other.
0:02:16 > 0:02:19When we finished eating, we ran along the beach
0:02:19 > 0:02:24clutching our pieces of coconut shell like they were precious treasures,
0:02:24 > 0:02:27rather hairy precious treasures.
0:02:27 > 0:02:30This sea wind tugged at our clothes
0:02:30 > 0:02:33and blew our hair about wildly.
0:02:33 > 0:02:38Sue wanted to see her wild hair, so she ran to the rockpools
0:02:38 > 0:02:41because sometimes, when the water is still,
0:02:41 > 0:02:45it's all shiny like a mirror and you can see your face in it.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48Ernie and I followed her, but when we caught up with her,
0:02:48 > 0:02:51she was staring into a rockpool
0:02:51 > 0:02:54and she no longer had her piece of coconut shell.
0:02:54 > 0:02:59She'd accidentally dropped it in the rockpool.
0:02:59 > 0:03:03As we gazed deep down into the glittery waters,
0:03:03 > 0:03:07a magical world appeared before our eyes.
0:03:11 > 0:03:17On this particular day, a visitor had been washed into the rockpool.
0:03:17 > 0:03:22It was a shy and shaggy little grey sea slug
0:03:22 > 0:03:25that was looking for a place to hide. SALTY BARKS
0:03:25 > 0:03:28Yes, Salty, yes, it wanted to hide.
0:03:28 > 0:03:31You see, it had been looking at a lovely stone
0:03:31 > 0:03:34that was smooth and shiny as a mirror,
0:03:34 > 0:03:39when suddenly it saw itself for the first time.
0:03:39 > 0:03:43"Oh, my goodness," it said to itself.
0:03:43 > 0:03:46"What a funny-looking creature I am."
0:03:47 > 0:03:52And it thought that the other sea creatures might laugh at it.
0:03:52 > 0:03:56And that's why it was looking for a hiding place.
0:03:56 > 0:04:02Just then, the little sea slug heard someone giggling close by, so it hid.
0:04:02 > 0:04:06The giggles were coming from Sally the Starfish.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09Buster the Crab scuttled over.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12"What's all the laughing about?" he snapped.
0:04:12 > 0:04:17"Oh, hi, Buster," said Sally, with a beaming smile.
0:04:17 > 0:04:22"Andrew is scratching my back and it's terrifically tickly."
0:04:22 > 0:04:25You like being tickled, don't you?
0:04:25 > 0:04:27Yes, she does.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30"I wish I could have my back scratched in a tickly way,"
0:04:30 > 0:04:34said Buster, "But it isn't easy to have your back scratched
0:04:34 > 0:04:36"when you're inside a shell.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39"I like my shell, bless my pincers I do,
0:04:39 > 0:04:44"but sometimes I would really like to crawl out of it for a bit."
0:04:44 > 0:04:47"Well, why don't you?" said Sally.
0:04:47 > 0:04:50"Then, Andrew could scratch your back too."
0:04:50 > 0:04:54Buster thought that this was a good idea.
0:04:54 > 0:04:58"Isn't it lucky that I'm a hermit crab?" he chuckled,
0:04:58 > 0:05:01scuttling off to get changed.
0:05:01 > 0:05:06"It means I can crawl out of my shell on very special occasions.
0:05:06 > 0:05:07"Ha-ha!"
0:05:07 > 0:05:11Well, soon Buster had wriggled out of his shell.
0:05:11 > 0:05:13"Right," he said, stretching,
0:05:13 > 0:05:18"I'm ready to have my back scratched now, Andrew."
0:05:18 > 0:05:23Andrew gave Buster his best tentacle tickle,
0:05:23 > 0:05:26which made Buster laugh so much
0:05:26 > 0:05:28that his pincers clattered.
0:05:29 > 0:05:33After a while, Buster felt tired from all this laughing.
0:05:33 > 0:05:37"Oh, time to get back in my shell," he said.
0:05:37 > 0:05:40"I'm tickled out! Ha-ha-ha!"
0:05:40 > 0:05:44But when he attempted to nudge his way back into his shell,
0:05:44 > 0:05:46he had a bit of a surprise.
0:05:46 > 0:05:48He heard a squeak.
0:05:48 > 0:05:53And a little head peeked out of the shell rather shyly.
0:05:53 > 0:05:57A little head with feelers attached to it.
0:05:57 > 0:05:59"Who are you?
0:05:59 > 0:06:03"And what are you doing in my shell?" snapped Buster, rather crossly.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06But the creature didn't answer.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09"Come out of there at once!" said Buster.
0:06:09 > 0:06:15"Um, I'm...I'm s-s-sorry," whispered the creature.
0:06:15 > 0:06:18"But I can't come out."
0:06:18 > 0:06:23"Can't come out? Well, tickle my pincers, what a cheek!"
0:06:23 > 0:06:25Buster was very shocked.
0:06:25 > 0:06:28"Let me try," Sally told Buster.
0:06:28 > 0:06:33Then she spoke to the mysterious creature in her most serious voice.
0:06:33 > 0:06:34CLEARS THROAT
0:06:34 > 0:06:39"Excuse me, that shell belongs to my friend Buster," she said,
0:06:39 > 0:06:42"so you'll have to come out."
0:06:42 > 0:06:45But the creature wouldn't budge.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48"Go away, please," it said.
0:06:48 > 0:06:50"I'm not moving."
0:06:50 > 0:06:54Sally sighed, she didn't know what else to do.
0:06:54 > 0:06:58"Perhaps you'd better forget about your old shell, Buster,
0:06:58 > 0:07:00"and find a new one," she said.
0:07:00 > 0:07:04"You can choose one from my shell collection if you like."
0:07:04 > 0:07:08"Well, a new shell, hm..."
0:07:08 > 0:07:10Buster thought for a moment.
0:07:10 > 0:07:14Yes, he quite liked the idea of a new shell,
0:07:14 > 0:07:17so off he went to look at Sally's collection.
0:07:17 > 0:07:24And all the rockpoolers went along to see which shell he would choose.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27And what a wonderful selection Sally had.
0:07:27 > 0:07:32Buster tried a long, thin razorfish shell first.
0:07:32 > 0:07:35He quite liked the stripey pattern.
0:07:35 > 0:07:39But it was rather sticky-outy and far from comfy.
0:07:39 > 0:07:43"I like this one, it's an interesting shape," he said.
0:07:43 > 0:07:49But the entrance, it was too small and - Ooh! Eeh! Aah! Ohh! -
0:07:49 > 0:07:51yes, he got stuck.
0:07:51 > 0:07:53Andrew and Sally had to pull him out.
0:07:53 > 0:07:57"Finding a new shell isn't as easy as I thought."
0:07:57 > 0:08:03And then suddenly Buster caught sight of the perfect shell.
0:08:03 > 0:08:08"Wait!" cried Sally, "That isn't one of my shells."
0:08:08 > 0:08:12At that moment, Sydney the Snail popped out.
0:08:12 > 0:08:15"Excuse me?" he said, frowning.
0:08:15 > 0:08:19"This is my shell, so keep your pincers off."
0:08:19 > 0:08:23"Oh, sorry!" said Buster. And he sidled away.
0:08:23 > 0:08:28Just then he noticed an extremely unusual shell.
0:08:28 > 0:08:30One that he had overlooked.
0:08:30 > 0:08:34The unusual shell was quite hairy looking.
0:08:34 > 0:08:37SALTY BARKS Yes, yes, Salty, you're right,
0:08:37 > 0:08:41it was Little Sailor Sue's piece of coconut shell.
0:08:41 > 0:08:42Well done, Salty.
0:08:42 > 0:08:45"That isn't one of my shells either,"
0:08:45 > 0:08:48said Sally, looking at the piece of coconut shell.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51"I've never seen anything like it before."
0:08:51 > 0:08:53"Hello-ee!
0:08:53 > 0:08:56"Hello-oh-oh-eeh!"
0:08:56 > 0:09:00Buster checked, but there was no-one inside.
0:09:00 > 0:09:02And then he wriggled his way in.
0:09:02 > 0:09:06"Hm, er, does it suit me?" Buster asked.
0:09:06 > 0:09:10"It's definitely different," said Andrew,
0:09:10 > 0:09:14but when Buster tried to move, he couldn't.
0:09:14 > 0:09:19The hairy shell was just too slippy-offy.
0:09:19 > 0:09:23"Oh, it's no use," sighed Buster.
0:09:23 > 0:09:27"I'm just going to have to ask for my old shell back.
0:09:27 > 0:09:32"Perhaps if I ask very politely, whoever is in there will come out."
0:09:32 > 0:09:36So off he went back to his old shell.
0:09:36 > 0:09:38He knocked on it three times.
0:09:40 > 0:09:44And then he asked the creature inside to come out.
0:09:44 > 0:09:48"I'm not moving!" said the little creature,
0:09:48 > 0:09:54"because if I come out, everyone will laugh at the funny way I look."
0:09:54 > 0:10:00"But we all look rather funny," said Sally, waving her starfish arms.
0:10:00 > 0:10:05"I'm shaped like a star with lots of tiny suckers on my arms."
0:10:05 > 0:10:09"And I look sort of see-through," said Sheena the Shrimp,
0:10:09 > 0:10:11bobbing around happily.
0:10:11 > 0:10:15"I'm the funniest," said Andrew the Anemone.
0:10:15 > 0:10:19"I look like a blob of jelly when I suck my tentacles in."
0:10:21 > 0:10:25The stranger inside the shell really wanted to see
0:10:25 > 0:10:28all these funny looking creatures,
0:10:28 > 0:10:31so it came out.
0:10:31 > 0:10:33And guess what.
0:10:33 > 0:10:36It was the grey sea slug.
0:10:36 > 0:10:39"Hello there," said Sally,
0:10:39 > 0:10:42admiring his wonderfully shaggy appearance.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45"Wow, you look amazing!"
0:10:45 > 0:10:50"Amazing? Me?" said the grey sea slug.
0:10:50 > 0:10:53"Oh, do you think so?"
0:10:53 > 0:10:56"Yes!" cried all the rockpoolers.
0:10:56 > 0:11:00And then it glanced down at its shaggy-looking body.
0:11:00 > 0:11:08"Ah, er, well, actually, I suppose I do look rather amazing."
0:11:09 > 0:11:13And suddenly the grey sea slug felt rather pleased
0:11:13 > 0:11:15with the way it looked.
0:11:15 > 0:11:20And besides, it had made lots of new, unusual-looking friends.
0:11:21 > 0:11:25"Do you mind if I have my shell back now?" asked Buster.
0:11:25 > 0:11:29"I know it might seem funny for a creature to keep its house
0:11:29 > 0:11:33"on its back, but that's just the beautiful way I am."
0:11:33 > 0:11:40"Oh, yes, of course. Have your shell back at once,"
0:11:40 > 0:11:44said the little grey sea slug. "I don't need to hide any more."
0:11:44 > 0:11:49So all the rockpoolers played together for the rest of the day.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54So, Ernie and I kept staring into the rockpool,
0:11:54 > 0:11:58but we couldn't see Little Sue's piece of coconut shell.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01And then Ernie spotted it.
0:12:01 > 0:12:05And he reached down and plucked it out of the seaweed.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08That made Little Sue very happy.
0:12:08 > 0:12:13Just then, another gust of wind blew Sue's long hair out
0:12:13 > 0:12:18in all directions and she saw herself in the shiny surface of the water.
0:12:18 > 0:12:22"Arrgh!" she said, "I look like a mighty lion!"
0:12:22 > 0:12:28And she chased me and Ernie all the way back down the beach...
0:12:29 > 0:12:32..where we played for the rest of the day
0:12:32 > 0:12:35until the tide started to come in and covered the rockpool,
0:12:35 > 0:12:39like a great seaweedy blanket.
0:12:48 > 0:12:53You know, Salty, my girl, I don't think it really matters if your beard
0:12:53 > 0:12:57is the longest or the shortest or whether you are a whiskery dog,
0:12:57 > 0:13:00a starfish or a shaggy-looking sea slug
0:13:00 > 0:13:02or an old fisherman like me.
0:13:02 > 0:13:06It's just good that we are all so different.
0:13:06 > 0:13:11So why don't you join us for some more Rockpool Tales next time?
0:13:11 > 0:13:14Goodbye.
0:13:17 > 0:13:19Ha-ha! Good girl.
0:13:19 > 0:13:21Come on, Salty.