George's Goldfish

• Alexandra Lavalle, Grade 4
• Short Story
• 2008

George’s Goldfish

George lived on a farm with lots of animals. George had a pet goldfish, which he always kept in his room. You would never guess what George’s gold fish was up to, because he had magic power. Whenever George had friends over his goldfish would make trouble. Sometimes his goldfish would splash at his friends when they weren’t looking or hide their things.
One day a new family moved in next door and George made a new friend Sam. George did not want to show him his goldfish when he came to play because he was worried that his goldfish would scare Sam away. One afternoon Sam came over and when George wasn’t looking, Sam went into George’s room. Sam was surprised when the goldfish started to jump in and out of the water splashing at Sam. When George walked into the room, he saw Sam looking horrified. Suddenly George’s mother came into the room and had told George that he had to give the goldfish away because it always made a mess when his friends came over. George begged his mother for one more chance. His mother agreed, but said this was the last the last time.
One day George decided that he wanted to have a birthday party. He invited all his friends and his mother prepared the party food. George cleaned out the fishbowl and asked his goldfish to behave. George’s friends including Sam came to the party but none of them wanted to see his goldfish. George decided to put his goldfish in the barn so that it would not make any trouble. As George was carrying his goldfish, the goldfish saw that George’s friends were arriving and that George was having a party. George’s goldfish instantly decided to start jumping up and down and splashing water. The water was going onto the party food and George’s mother was horrified. All his friends looked as George’s goldfish was flying around and lifting all the boy’s hats off their heads. George started to yell “Stop! Stop!” but his goldfish didn’t listen. George knew his party was ruined and he started crying. George’s mother said ‘That’s it’ the goldfish is going. All of George’s friends had run off except for Sam, who stayed to help George clean up the mess.
George told his Goldfish that he could no longer stay and he was taking him to live in the river. George said to his goldfish that he was not a good friend because you do not treat friends like that or be nasty to other people. He also told him that he could never show him to anyone because of his bad behaviour. As George was about to let his goldfish into the river, his goldfish jumped out and wrote in the mud “SORRY! I will never do this again. I was always jealous of your friends but now I have learnt my lesson”.

By Alexandra Lavalle
Year 4