54. Little Uncle Tubby

It is a very dreary day today. The weather is much too harsh to go outside to play.

And very quickly, Sam and Bingo become bored, their life lacking in enrichment.

But everything changes when Uncle Tubby shows up, having braved the storm just to entertain them! (real heros don't wear capes - they bring umbrellas)

He is going to tell them one of his world famous stories about the old days, before either of them were born.

They are always very interesting, a window into the past, and Sam is very excited to learn more about Uncle Tubby's many exciting adventures. This one, Uncle Tubby proclaims, will be about his own childhood.

He will tell it through interpretative dance, an ancient tradition of seal dragons going back countless generations!

Sam is enthralled. The story is amazing!

He must know what happens next!

But there is a problem. Bingo is not a seal dragon - he doesn't understand their language of interpretative dance!

Sam alerts Uncle Tubby to the problem.

Fortunately, Sam has an idea.

They'll just let the narrator tell the story!

Anyway, everyone knows that Uncle Tubby is a grown up and very large seal dragon, bigger than most for certain.

But did you know that there was a time when he was small?

Yes, it is true! Uncle Tubby was not only very young when he was born, but also small.

He was so small, that Grandmam (who was not nearly so old in these times of course) could hold him in just one hand!

And so tiny that one Cheerio would feed him for almost two whole days.

He was so small, in fact, that his first pet was an amoeba!

And so that once, he even got stuck inside of an atom!

He was just that small!

Sam is flabbergasted - he never knew Uncle Tubby came from such a rough beginning!

But Bingo interjected. It is not possible for a seal dragon to be born so small they get stuck inside an atom. Uncle Tubby is obviously exaggerating.

Uncle Tubby counters that he was not done with the story. Of course there were complications involved with being so small.

In fact, the doctors were initially very worried for his health and safety.

He was so small that his mother had to keep him in a terrarium so that he didn't get lost.

And to grow up strong, he had to eat a lot of very healthy food!

Exercise was important too!

But fortunately, with nutrition, activity, and familial support, Young Tubby soon began to grow.

...and grow...

...and grow some more...

He kept on growing... and growing.. and growing...

Until he was twice as tall as his house!

....

But being this big wasn't all fun and games. It did not take long for Uncle Tubby to feel left out, as he had to wait outside on a hilltop while his family and friends all ate delicious food.

And when he did at last get some, the portions were so small!

That was almost too horrible for Sam to imagine.

How did you get out of this situation, Uncle Tubby?!?

Well, everyone on Earth just had to quickly eat lots of healthy food so they could get as big as him too....

...and then they just built everything else in the world bigger to match... the end!

Wow Uncle Tubby, what an amazing story! You are truly an inspiration.

An inspiration for a wide imagination maybe...

As if any of that could be true...