environment

2. Once upon a time a girl
named Polly was walking
through the woods. As she
passed the tall and thick
trees of the forest she
heard someone was
following her. She looked
back but she didn’t see
anything. So Polly continues
to walk yet afraid of what
she just heard.

3. After a few minutes of walk, Polly stop and tries to
be brave. She pulled up the sleeves of her blouse
and asked loudly “Whoever it is that’s following me,
please show yourself.” For a moment, there was
nothing, until she noticed something hiding at the
back of a tree at her right side.

4. “Who is it?” Polly asked. Suddenly she
saw a tail, brown and furry. Polly,
amazed by what she saw, tried to sit
down beside the tree. “What are you
doing here little squirrel?”
The squirrel hold out its forelimbs “No
don’t touch me.” Polly heard the squirrel
talked. Instead of being afraid, at her
amazement she still tried to touch the
squirrel. She was very curious that she
didn’t noticed that she was throwing a
lot of question to the little creature.

5. “Oh could you please asked one
question at a time.” the squirrel
said.
“Ah yes! I’m sorry. I’m just too
excited for you to talk again. Am I
really having a conversation with a
squirrel? Ha! Is this real? Are you?”
“Sadly this is all because of you
humans. You are the reason why
talking beasts in this forest exist.”

6. “Am I hearing it correctly? You are not the only
talking animal here inside this forest? Polly was
asking again with her eyes wide open.
“Yes we can all talk, it is because of what you did
to our natural habitat. We are suffering because of
human activities.”

7. Polly tries to question the squirrel
again. “What have we done wrong?”
“Because all of you don’t care about us.
All those human activities, cutting
trees, burning the forest, and poisoning
the waters around us have led us to a
very important decision. All of the
elders of each community was convinced
that we must act on our own.”
Polly just tries to listen to the squirrel.

8. “Many members of the population
were affected. Some of the species
of this animals were considered as
threatened species. Even worst is
some of them are extinct. Because
of these many of us were persuaded
that we should acquire a new niche
to avoid what happened to some of
our families.”

9. “I can’t imagine that’s what we have already done
after all this advancement and technology. We
caused a lot of trouble to all of you.” Polly talked
sadly.

10. “And what is that?” the girl waiting for
the answer.
“We must learn your language so when
someone comes to this forest we can talk
to them and show them what they have
done to us. Every one of us participated,
we came to your place trying to educate
us about your language. And we tried so
hard. The nocturnes spent their whole
night on your roofs while some diurnals
hide themselves on bushes, trees, and
even inside your house during the day.”

11. The squirrel continues to talk “Yes
we’ve done everything, even risking
our own lives just to save the
biodiversity in this place. But still,
it was not enough. Even after we
have learned everything about you,
we can’t sway someone to do our
cause. Instead they became afraid
of this forest, they say that this
woods have full of talking beasts
and that if they go here they would
have been eaten alive.”

12. Polly bowed her head, “I’m so sorry.”
“But as I see you walking alone inside this woods. I
began to have a glimpse of hope for humanity. I
felt that there is still someone from your race who
can help us.” The squirrel moved closer to Polly and
said, “I think you can help us.”

13. The girl sadly responds, “But how? I’m
just a poor little girl.”
“Some of us are endangered, but we still
have the time to help them. We could
save them. All you need to do is convince
your people.”
“I can’t think of a way to convince them
to stop those activities.” Polly said.

14. The squirrel climb a tree and sit in one of
its branches. “But if you don’t stop, you
will also suffer. Different biomes will be
affected. It will be hard for every
organism in terms of acclimation because
of the changes that happens in their
environment. You are the only answer. We
want you to participate in our cause or
else it will be the end of us.”

15. “I’m not sure if I can do this.” Polly gloomily
replied.
“We will do everything to help you. Please help us
save every animal in every ecosystem. We will do
everything, I assure you. We will help each other
just like the symbiosis shown by other animals.
Maybe some of us have the adaptations that could
help you. Just don’t turn your back to us Polly.”

16. “Did you just say my name? I don’t remember telling you
that.” Polly asked.
The squirrel goes to the ground and seriously talked to
Polly. “Yes I already knew you. It’s been a month since I
first came to your house. I’ve been watching you since
then. And it is my own doing that led you to this forest.
Of all the humans we have encountered, so far you are
the only person who was really concerned about us. I saw
your paintings, your sketches. I even read your essays
about Mother Earth. I heard the way you talked with
your plants in your garden as if they can understand you.
And I’m sure if they can only talked back they would be
glad and say that you are a very talkative girl.”

17. All the animals in the forest, from the smallest to
the biggest of them, come out from where they are
hiding. All of them singing and humming. “Polly, we
know you can help us all. We beg you!”
“You have shown me a great deal of trust. You are
desperate.” Polly wiping her tears. “I know I can’t
do much, I’m just a little girl. But I will do my best
to help you. You showed me that there’s still hope
in humanity. You trusted me, which means you
believe not just in me but to all of my people. I am
a daughter of Eve yet you put your faith in me. I
will convince them whatever it takes just don’t
leave me and don’t lose hope.”

18. The crowd begun cheering and shouting for Polly.
They were all very happy. Then they start planning
what to do next to help the girl.
The squirrel stand and stretching his paws
towards Polly as if he wants to shake hand with her
and say “I’m afraid I forgot to mention you my
name.”

19. Before the squirrel could say it “Reepicheep! That is your
name.”
Reepicheep was shocked “How did you…?”
All of them burst into laughing. “The elders told me your
name. They say that you are very forgetful.” Then Polly
tries to touch the tip of his nose and kiss his forehead.
~THE END~

20. 1.What specific actions or changes in human behavior are
suggested by the animals as potential solutions to the
environmental problems presented in the story?
2.How does the story emphasize the interdependence of different
species and the need for a harmonious relationship between
humans and nature?
3.What symbolic elements in the story represent the broader
environmental issues faced by the planet, and how do they
contribute to the overall message of the narrative?
4.In what ways can the story serve as a metaphor for real-world
environmental challenges, and what lessons can be drawn from
Polly's commitment to help the talking animals and the forest
ecosystem?