Believing In Magic, With #ColgateMagicalStories...

Children are bundles of curiosity. Add to that, creativity, and you'll have an unbeatable combination. Kids always have stories to tell, and an intrinsic curiosity and creativity fuels the budding storyteller in them. More often than not, they come up with imaginative accounts of the most unimaginative scenarios, incomprehensible to us as adults. What I most like about kids when they turn storytellers is that all such stories have the twinkle of innocence in them. Such stories are accounts of mischief, albeit with a message. It is always a joy to enjoy and appreciate a story coming from a child, as opposed to narration from a childish storybook, isn't it? 
It was no different when my six-year-old niece came home a couple of weeks back, on a long weekend. After an hour of her arrival, the doorbell rang for a second time, that day. Being her chirpy self, she ran to the door, prompting me to receive whatever had been brought forth by the person delivering couriers. 

The package was from Colgate and it aimed at inviting #ColgateMagicalStories. The moment she saw the word Colgate, she excitedly proclaimed that it was a gift from her toothpaste brand because she had been wreathing in pain from an aching milk tooth, the previous day at my cousin's place. She liked to believe that it was a surprise for her, to soothe her pain and proclaim the Tooth Fairy's arrival. 

Indeed, the entire package was coming her way, and ensured for her, a fun evening with art 'n' craft and stories. I cut open all the packs for her (that was 'Parental Guidance' for her) and her excitement grew gradually. The next moment she was jumping in joy on seeing all the cute sea animals drawn on the four different packs and it piqued her curiosity to derive meaning out of the titles of the packs, namely Coral Reef, Treasure Hunt, Sea Magic, and Pirate Ship. 
So, here goes the #ColgateMagicalStories she created, that evening. Enjoy it as I did.  She recognized Blackbeard's ship that was analogical to the huge cruise she had been on, last month, on her vacation.  

She read and analysed that Sadie was an adventurous soul helping Blackbeard discover a hidden treasure. 
One of her school friends has a pet parrot and she began squawking on seeing one drawn on the pack too. She also had a story to tell on how that pet of her friend's had learnt to mimic her. 
She established a connect as to how the comical parrot could guide Blackbeard through rough waters by alerting him against approaching enemies. 
Upon seeing the mermaid, she was awestruck as to how we could assume half-human - half-fish form. Nonetheless, I thought I'll have to tell her about Disney's Mermaid some other day. 
She made the mermaid live in the sea castle with her best friend, Dolphin by her side, also making her own the treasure chest Blackbeard was looking for. Blackbeard successfully reached the treasure by following the Treasure Map that he had charted, with help of his sea friends, Shark and Crab. 
Killer Whale and String Ray blocked his way to the castle to protect the mermaid and her treasure. In the ensuing tussle, the ship hits a big rock and is transformed into wreckage in no time. 

Meanwhile, two of his other friends, Star Fish and Puffer Fish help Blackbeard steal the Treasure from the Mermaid. Having nowhere else to go, Blackbeard returned to the wreckage with Sadie and his Parrot waiting for him. While he narrates to Sadie, the episode that ensued at the Castle, their Treasure is taken custody of, by an Octopus. 

The Octopus is successful in scaring the Puffer Fish, that defends itself by filling water in its stomach and called out to the Sword Fish passing by. It helped Puffer by lifting it on its sword-shaped bill, placing her on the huge Sea Turtle's shell and together, they all disappeared into the deep sea. But, the Star Fish faced the Octopus bravely, as it could regrow its limbs. 
While the Octopus was busy keeping Star Fish at bay, Blackbeard and Sadie returned to land, with their cherished treasure. 
I ended up asking my niece about Sea Horse's role and this is what she had to say. She told me that the male sea horse was carrying eggs in its pouch so it was resting in the coral reef. 

Meanwhile, a clever Lion Fish, with its needle-like spines aimed to harm Sea Horse. In the nick of time, however, Barracuda made a quick move and surprised the Lion Fish thus distracting it and foiling its intention to harm. All the animals that had helped Blackbeard, his parrot and Sadie, also returned to the Reef by evening. 
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Everyone clapped for her as the story ended on this note and she felt elated. Kudos to Colgate for encouraging the imaginative souls that our kids are! :)

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