Transcript for Parent Storytellers
Sparkle the Unicorn was having the most wonderful time cycling through a creek on Mars. Her rainbow-colored mane flowed behind her as she pedaled, and her bicycle tires made tiny splashes in the red-tinted water.
“What a beautiful day for a ride!” Sparkle said to herself as she zoomed around a bend in the creek.
Suddenly, Sparkle spotted someone familiar sitting on a rock by the water’s edge. It was the friendly Black Yeti! Sparkle recognized him from when he had helped Froggy find a new home in the cool mountain stream.
“Yeti! Yeti!” called Sparkle excitedly, ringing her bicycle bell. “It’s me, Sparkle!”
The Yeti looked up and waved his big furry arms. “Hello, Sparkle! What brings you to the Martian creeks?”
Sparkle pedaled over to the shore where the Yeti sat. “I’m exploring! I discovered that riding a bicycle through water is even more fun than riding on land. And did you know there are creeks on Mars? I didn’t until Captain Milky Way told me!”
The Yeti nodded. He remembered Captain Milky Way and the other astronaut cows from when they had visited Earth.
“Oh Yeti, Yeti!” Sparkle continued, bouncing with excitement. “Would you like to go on an adventure with me? We could ride up this creek to the dairy farm where Captain Milky Way makes her famous cosmic ice cream!”
“That sounds fun,” said the Yeti, scratching his furry head. “But I don’t have a bicycle. And where exactly are we going?”
Sparkle’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “To Planet Sixwow! It’s the most amazing place, with six moons that say ‘wow’ when they shine on you!”
The Yeti looked confused. “Do we need a rocket ship to get there?”
“No silly!” Sparkle laughed. “All we need to do is paddle super fast through this creek, and it will turn into a magical water slide that can take us anywhere in the solar system!”
“That doesn’t sound very scientific,” the Yeti said doubtfully.
“Trust me,” Sparkle winked. “I’ve done this before.”
Luckily, they found a second bicycle leaning against a nearby Martian rock. It was just the right size for the Yeti, though his knees came up a bit when he pedaled.
“Ready for an adventure?” Sparkle asked.
“I guess so,” the Yeti replied with a smile.
They began cycling through the creek, pedaling faster and faster. The water splashed around them, turning into a shimmering path that seemed to glow beneath their wheels.
“We’re going to make a quick stop in Tokyo first!” Sparkle called over her shoulder.
“Tokyo? On Mars?” the Yeti asked, surprised.
“Yes! There’s a Tokyo here too! It’s much bouncier than the one on Earth!”
Sure enough, as they pedaled around the next bend, they saw a glowing city with bouncy buildings and slides connecting every structure.
“Welcome to Mars Tokyo!” Sparkle announced as they cycled into the city.
They zoomed past waving Martians who looked like little red potatoes with arms and legs. Some of the Martians were eating ice cream cones that glowed in the dark.
“Let’s try the slides!” Sparkle suggested, pointing to a particularly twisty one that started from a tall building.
The Yeti looked nervous but followed Sparkle. They climbed stairs to the top and looked down the swirling slide.
“Here we go!” Sparkle shouted, pushing off.
“Wheeeeee!” they both cried as they spun down the slide, around and around, until they landed right back on their bicycles in the creek.
“That was amazing!” the Yeti laughed. His fur was all swirly from the spinning.
They started pedaling again, this time even faster. Their bicycles began to glow, and suddenly rocket boosters appeared on the back wheels!
“Rocket blaster bikes, activated!” Sparkle yelled joyfully.
ZOOM! The bikes shot forward, going so fast that they flew right up the side of a mountain!
“Hold on tight!” Sparkle called to the Yeti as they soared higher and higher.
As they reached the peak of the mountain, something strange happened. The air around them shimmered, and suddenly they weren’t on Mars anymore!
“Kaboom!” went a sound as they burst through some kind of space tunnel.
When everything cleared, they were cycling through a snowy landscape. Sparkle looked down and noticed something small moving on the ground.
“Eeeek!” she screamed, coming to a sudden stop. “A spider! I hate spiders!”
The Yeti hopped off his bike and bent down to look. It was indeed a tiny spider, wearing a miniature winter hat and scarf.
“Don’t worry, Sparkle,” the Yeti said gently. “This little friend isn’t scary. Look, he’s just dancing to the sound of our bicycle wheels.”
The spider did a little twirl and made a “choo choo” sound, which made Sparkle giggle despite her fear.
“I guess he is pretty cute,” she admitted.
They continued cycling, following a stream that seemed to be flowing uphill (which should be impossible, but this was a very strange adventure). The Yeti noticed they were getting higher and the air was growing colder.
“Where exactly are we now?” he asked.
“I think we’re on Earth again – I mean Urf!” Sparkle replied. “And if I’m right, we’re heading toward the North Pole!”
“The North Pole? But we don’t have winter clothes!” the Yeti exclaimed.
Sparkle suddenly realized he was right. While the Yeti had his warm fur, her thin unicorn coat wasn’t made for extreme cold. But it was too late to turn back – they were already sliding down the other side of the mountain at top speed.
“We’re going too fast!” Sparkle cried as they zoomed down toward a glistening field of ice and snow.
With a soft thud, they landed in a snowbank. Sparkle immediately began shivering. Even the Yeti looked chilly, despite his thick fur.
“What do we do now?” Sparkle’s teeth chattered.
Just then, they heard friendly voices and looked up to see a group of people approaching. They were bundled in warm parkas with furry hoods.
“Hello there!” called a girl with rosy cheeks. “I’m Nora! What are you doing at the North Pole without jackets?”
“It’s a long story,” Sparkle replied, still shivering.
“Well, you can’t stay out here,” said Nora. “Come to our igloo. My family will help warm you up.”
Nora led Sparkle and the Yeti to a rounded snow house. Inside, it was surprisingly warm. Nora’s family welcomed them with big smiles. They gave Sparkle a unicorn-sized blanket and offered the Yeti a warm drink.
“Thank you for your kindness,” the Yeti said.
Nora’s father smiled. “We always welcome travelers, even unusual ones like yourselves.”
They enjoyed a delicious dinner of fish stew and warm bread. After dinner, Nora showed them a special room in the igloo with soft beds made of furs and blankets.
“You can stay here tonight,” she said. “Tomorrow we can figure out how to get you back home.”
Sparkle and the Yeti thanked their hosts and settled into the cozy beds. They were exhausted from their incredible journey.
“That was quite an adventure,” the Yeti whispered.
“Yes,” Sparkle agreed, yawning. “From Mars to Tokyo to the North Pole in one day!”
“Next time, maybe we should pack winter clothes,” the Yeti suggested with a smile.
“Next time,” Sparkle mumbled sleepily, “let’s visit Captain Milky Way’s dairy farm like we planned. I really want some of that cosmic ice cream.”
“That sounds perfect,” said the Yeti, his eyes growing heavy.
As they drifted off to sleep, Sparkle dreamed of bicycle rides through creeks, rocket booster bikes, friendly spiders, and all the adventures yet to come with her good friend, the Yeti.