Otto the Otter and the Promise Stones

Chapter 1: Do Care Of Commitments

In a sparkling river called Silverstream, there lived a young otter named Otto. Otto was friendly and full of energy, and he loved saying yes to everything.

"Want to build a raft, Otto?" asked Dilly the duck. "Yes!"

"Want to help me gather reeds?" asked Fern the frog. "Yes!"

"Want to practice for the swimming race?" asked Marlo the muskrat. "Yes!"

Otto loved the happy faces his yeses brought. But he never stopped to think about whether he could actually do everything he promised.

One Saturday morning, Otto woke up and realized with a gulp that he had promised three different friends to be in three different places at the very same time.

Dilly was waiting at the riverbank to build the raft. Fern needed help gathering reeds for her new home before the rain came. And Marlo was counting on Otto to be his practice partner for the big race.

"Oh no," Otto whispered. "What have I done?"

He dashed to the raft first, but he kept glancing at the clock. "I have to go!" he blurted, and rushed off before the raft was done. Dilly stood there, holding a plank, looking confused.

He raced to the reeds, but he was out of breath and distracted. He cut the wrong ones and tangled the bundles. "Sorry, I can't stay!" he said, and dashed away.