One day, there was an octopus who was always quiet and shy. Despite that, he always wanted to have many, many friends. One time, while he was fishing, he was trying to catch a type of shellfish known to be very slippery.
But before he realized it, he had tied himself in a huge knot. He felt paralyzed in movement and could not move. Despite the great embarrassment he felt from this knot wrapped around him, he went out to ask for help from the fish near him.
But many fish chose to ignore his call and refused to help him, ignoring him. On the contrary, some fish tried to help him until one of them managed to free him from what was wrapped around him.
The octopus felt great relief from being freed from this heavy constraint. However, because of his extreme shyness in dealing with fish and forming friendships with them, he was not able to offer the saving fish except a simple thanks. Then he swam heading to his home.
Later, the octopus spent the whole night thinking that he had missed a great opportunity to form friendships with those very small fish. A few days later, the octopus was resting between some rocks.
He noticed that everyone around him was swimming very quickly in the opposite direction. He looked in front of him and saw a large fish coming to this area with the aim of getting its food from the surrounding fish.
The octopus quickly hid, then took a look outside his hiding place. He saw the large fish chasing the small fish that had helped him survive a few days ago. He said to himself that this small fish really needs help.
But the large fish is very dangerous and relies on the fact that no one can approach it. However, at this moment, the octopus remembered how this small fish had risked herself.
She had offered help to him while the rest of the fish ignored him. He saw that it was his duty to make his utmost effort to help her survive from the large fish.
Immediately and without hesitation, the octopus came out from between the rocks like a ray, stood in front of the large fish, and before this fish could catch him, the octopus released amounts of ink that he had never released throughout his life. Then he grabbed the small fish and hid among the rocks again.
All these quick events did not enable the large fish to make a strong reaction to the matter, but she quickly recovered from the surprise and began searching for the octopus and the small fish among the rocks. But after a while, she despaired of finding them and headed on her way again to get her food.
After the large fish moved away from the place and the rest of the fish were assured of her not returning, the fish came out of their hiding places and congratulated the octopus on his great courage in saving the small fish.
Then the octopus said to them: The small fish had saved me a few days ago at a time when all the fish were ignoring his request for help. Here he is repaying the favor. Then the fish realized how shy and friendly the octopus was. Everyone after that was keen to accompany him, for he was an example of courage and loyalty.
Translated story: An Octopus in Trouble