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Caper and Perla - Why do penguins wear tuxedos? |
by Kate Simmons >> more about the author
Caper was a one-of-a-kind penguin! As with the other penguins, his black and white feathers made him look like he was wearing a tuxedo, but Caper’s tail was special. While the other penguins’ black tails ended in a point behind them, Caper’s wide tail dragged behind him like a long cape, smoothing the snow with each step. In fact, his long, cape-like tail had earned him the name Caper, which he’d kind of liked at first.
For one thing, Caper’s tail could make the ground extra slick as it dragged along the snow, which was comforting to the other penguins when they needed to slide on their bellies to get to the ocean. If Caper waddled ahead of the group, he cleared the way for a smooth ride! Unfortunately, the penguins eventually forgot about Caper’s helpfulness and began teasing him about his tail.
“ Too bad you’ve got a cape like a superhero but you can’t fly like one!” Toby said.
“None of us can fly,” Caper answered.
“But you’ve got a cape and you’re still grounded!” Toby continued. The penguins all admired Toby because he’d won the toboggan contest when he’d slid the longest distance over the snow on his belly.
But one day somebody spoke up for Caper! It was Perla. Perla was different too. She didn’t look like she was wearing a tuxedo. All of her feathers were white, and they shimmered like a pearl in the sun.
“Don’t tease him!” said Perla when Toby grabbed his tail and began flapping it up and down. The penguins always seemed to listen to Perla.
“I’m sorry, Perla,” said Toby, gently setting the end of Caper’s tail on the ground.
“If only my long, wide tail was as interesting as Perla’s beautiful white feathers,” Caper thought to himself as he waddled to the water with the others to hunt for dinner.
Splash! The penguins dove in and began to search the sea for their next meal. One by one they used their beaks to catch fish, then swallow them whole! Caper always breathed a sigh of relief when he didn’t spot any leopard seals after diving in. A penguin had to be careful that a leopard seal wasn’t on the hunt for ITS next meal!
“Over here, Caper!” shouted Perla, who’d dove deeper than the other penguins and found a group of small fish to feast on.
As Caper swam toward Perla, he found something of his own! Leopard seals often waited under penguins and snatched them as they dove in, but one sneaky seal was lurking above Perla, ready to make her his dinner! The other penguins were camouflaged in the water since their dark backs matched the dark sea water under them, but poor Perla—her back was bright white and stood out like a snowflake on a dark roof!
“Perla,” Caper whispered, trying to get her attention without alerting the leopard seal to his presence.
Perla continued to happily gulp her fishy snack. In fact, she decided to hunt a little higher in the water to see if she could find another group of tasty fish. As she began swimming toward the surface, the leopard seal made its move and lunged toward Perla! Her eyes grew big and she began to move her flippers so she could make her escape.
“I’ve got this one, Caper,” said Toby, swooping in. “Grab my tail, Perla!”
Perla grabbed for Toby’s tail, but her flippers slipped right off its pointed end. Caper had a feeling he’d be able to help! He swam toward Perla and said, “Try grabbing on to my tail!”
Perla reached with her flippers, and she was able to securely hold Caper’s broad, cape-like tail so they could make their getaway. And get away they did as Caper swam so quickly it seemed like he was flying through the water!
The penguins all gathered at the surface to comfort Perla and congratulate Caper. Even Toby had something to say: “You were as brave as a super hero today, Caper.”
Caper smiled. Even though his long, wide tail made him different, he had to admit that its ability to rescue a friend was a bit interesting!
For one thing, Caper’s tail could make the ground extra slick as it dragged along the snow, which was comforting to the other penguins when they needed to slide on their bellies to get to the ocean. If Caper waddled ahead of the group, he cleared the way for a smooth ride! Unfortunately, the penguins eventually forgot about Caper’s helpfulness and began teasing him about his tail.
“ Too bad you’ve got a cape like a superhero but you can’t fly like one!” Toby said.
“None of us can fly,” Caper answered.
“But you’ve got a cape and you’re still grounded!” Toby continued. The penguins all admired Toby because he’d won the toboggan contest when he’d slid the longest distance over the snow on his belly.
But one day somebody spoke up for Caper! It was Perla. Perla was different too. She didn’t look like she was wearing a tuxedo. All of her feathers were white, and they shimmered like a pearl in the sun.
“Don’t tease him!” said Perla when Toby grabbed his tail and began flapping it up and down. The penguins always seemed to listen to Perla.
“I’m sorry, Perla,” said Toby, gently setting the end of Caper’s tail on the ground.
“If only my long, wide tail was as interesting as Perla’s beautiful white feathers,” Caper thought to himself as he waddled to the water with the others to hunt for dinner.
Splash! The penguins dove in and began to search the sea for their next meal. One by one they used their beaks to catch fish, then swallow them whole! Caper always breathed a sigh of relief when he didn’t spot any leopard seals after diving in. A penguin had to be careful that a leopard seal wasn’t on the hunt for ITS next meal!
“Over here, Caper!” shouted Perla, who’d dove deeper than the other penguins and found a group of small fish to feast on.
As Caper swam toward Perla, he found something of his own! Leopard seals often waited under penguins and snatched them as they dove in, but one sneaky seal was lurking above Perla, ready to make her his dinner! The other penguins were camouflaged in the water since their dark backs matched the dark sea water under them, but poor Perla—her back was bright white and stood out like a snowflake on a dark roof!
“Perla,” Caper whispered, trying to get her attention without alerting the leopard seal to his presence.
Perla continued to happily gulp her fishy snack. In fact, she decided to hunt a little higher in the water to see if she could find another group of tasty fish. As she began swimming toward the surface, the leopard seal made its move and lunged toward Perla! Her eyes grew big and she began to move her flippers so she could make her escape.
“I’ve got this one, Caper,” said Toby, swooping in. “Grab my tail, Perla!”
Perla grabbed for Toby’s tail, but her flippers slipped right off its pointed end. Caper had a feeling he’d be able to help! He swam toward Perla and said, “Try grabbing on to my tail!”
Perla reached with her flippers, and she was able to securely hold Caper’s broad, cape-like tail so they could make their getaway. And get away they did as Caper swam so quickly it seemed like he was flying through the water!
The penguins all gathered at the surface to comfort Perla and congratulate Caper. Even Toby had something to say: “You were as brave as a super hero today, Caper.”
Caper smiled. Even though his long, wide tail made him different, he had to admit that its ability to rescue a friend was a bit interesting!