Storytelling Week 11: No Belly Button Bert

Authors Note:  This week I based my story off of one of the Jataka tales from the book “The Giant Crab and Other Tales from old India” The story from the book I focused on is “Lacknose” this is about a gardener who had no nose.  There were three boys that came into his garden asking for flowers, but only one of them got one because of honesty.  My story follows along with a man who has no belly button and owns the most glorious pool in the town.  Everyone wanted to swim in this mans pool, but you will see that only some people will be able to swim in the pool.   These people were allowed and welcomed to swim in the pool because the man with no belly button felt that they were genuine people.  Read the story to see the different types of people that try to come swim, but the man doesn't allow in because not genuine enough. 

No Belly Button Bert 

(Representing Bert: Picture Source) 

There once was a pool boy named Bert who had no belly button.  Bert was an excellent pool cleaner.  He knew all the tricks to getting the pool to be in tip top shape.  He loved cleaning pools but he never took his shirt off due to not having a belly button so he always just got his shirt soaking wet while cleaning. Bert was embarrassed that he didn't have a belly button and couldn’t wait until he had his own pool. He spent many hours a day for many years to earn enough money to build his own pool.  While Bert’s pool was being built many of his neighbors saw how extravagant his pool would be.  They saw slides, a high and low diving board, and big red comfortable tanning chairs being moved into his backyard.

Bert didn't have many friends because they thought he was strange for not having a belly button.  Everyone in Bert’s neighborhood had pool parties, but he was never invited.  It didn't take long for his neighbors to start being friendly to him after they noticed how enormous of a pool he was going to have.  Bert became frustrated with this because he knew that it was only because he was going to have an extravagant pool.  Bert decided that he would have a pool party but is only going to invite those who don't care that he doesn't have a belly button.  Two weeks before his pool was finished he put a huge sign in his yard promoting his pool party, and that it is invite only.  Neighbor after neighbor would come up asking for an invite to the pool party.  Bert only awarded invites to those who approached him in the right way. 

His first neighbors that came up to him brought a doctor along with them.  They explained that the doctor was willing to look into getting him a belly button. But Bert thought to himself how ridiculous of them to think that someone will be able to give him a belly button, so he shooed them away with no invite.  His second neighbors came baring gifts.  Bert enjoyed all the yummy treats they brought except for these cookies that were made to look like humans in swimsuits that had no belly buttons! Bert thought to himself how foolish of these people to come and mock me, and sent them on their way with no invite.  The third neighbor that came to visit him didn't have any gifts but the truth.  The neighbor approached Bert and let him know how sorry he had been for treating him like an outcast, when in reality he was just like everyone else.  Bert appreciated the honest apology and invited the third neighbor to come and swim.  

Bibliography:  Rouse, W.H.D. “The Giant Crab and Other Tales from Old India.” Illustrated by W. Robinson.  Release Date: May 5, 2011.