It was Shark's first day of school, and he was really nervous about what the others would think of him.

None of the fish responded when he asked them if they would be friends with him. They didn't even blink!

Finally, Shark summoned the great Wizard 

Penguin, who appeared in a bubble. "Listen well, 

Shark," the Wizard said, "for this will be very 

important. Make sure you are kind and gentle. If you 

do this, eventually the right friend will come along to keep you good company."

                                                    So Shark went off, trying to be as kind and as

                                            gentle as possible so that he would have a friend.

At lunch, Shark came to a table with a group of friends who were chatting noisily. But they just ate quietly when he pulled out his lunch and settled in.

All throughout the rest of the day, Shark kept the Wizard's words in mind.

"Why won't anybody be friends with me?" Shark thought aloud.

"Because you're weird and big and scary!" said Pufferfish a few fins in front of him. Shark felt very sad, but he remembered the Wizard's words and didn't do anything drastic.

"He wasn't very nice," a blue seahorse told him later that day. Shark was surprised. Finally, a friend! "I'm sorry."

"It's OK!" Shark told her. "Do you want to share lunches?"

"Sure!" said Seahorse. Shark set down what he had on the table.

"I'll trade you my apple for your banana," Seahorse said.

"Okay!" Shark responded, handing his banana to her. She handed him her apple.

Since that day, Shark and Seahorse did everything together. 

They opened Christmas presents together when the time came....