“Ouch” said the flea, “you just stepped on me with your big webbed foot.” “I’m sorry” said the flamingo carefully picking up his large pink foot. “I didn’t see you all the way down there and you are very small. Why are you on the beach anyway Mr Flea?”, “I am here on holiday, enjoying the sunshine, if you must know, before your sloppy wet foot landed on my head.” The flamingo replied “It was an accident Mr Flea, the sun is very warm and you will dry off quickly.” Flea was intrigued by the birds’ huge size and how he was covered in beautiful bright pink feathers. The flea asked “and what are you, strange looking creature, with your skinny neck, long legs and pink feathers?” “I am Mingo the flamingo” said the flamingo, “and what is a flamingo?” asked the flea. “We are the giant pink birds that live near the sea” answered Mingo. With that Mingo then waded into the sea and tipped his head upside down underneath the water.
Flea thought this action most odd, “what kind of creature dunks his head underneath the water without getting in for a swim? Very strange Mr Mingo, very strange indeed” flea muttered under his breath. Mingo rose his head out of the water, now shining in the sunlight from the water droplets that looked like sequins “this is how I enjoy eating my dinner” Mingo says with his mouth full, “my beak is perfectly designed for me to eat with my head upside down, watch again.”

Flea, astonished by the thought of eating dinner whilst your head is upside down, saw Mingo tip his head upside down again and chomp at the water. “What a funny picture you make Mr Mingo, but it is very clever how you do that.”

Flea, felt quite relaxed on his flea sized beach towel resting on the beautiful white sand, the sun beaming down and the sound of lapping water was wonderful. So wonderful in fact that flea fell asleep, and being a very deep sleeper, flea did not wake for many hours. When he finally awoke with a squeaky yawn, flea found that his beach had turned into a small island of sand surrounded by water. “Oh no” cried flea “the tide has come in and my path has been covered by water – how can I hop back home now? Oh dear dear dear, how silly of me to have fallen asleep.”

Just then Mingo appeared, gliding his long legs in and out of the tide edge and said “Flea it is high tide and you are still on the beach in your holiday hat, you should have left hours ago.” Flea replied “Yes Mingo, I fell asleep in the sunshine and I am now stranded on this sandy island without a flea sized boat to take me back to the shore”. Mingo looking concerned approached Flea “Oh dear flea, you are in a spot of bother, the tide is rising and the sandy island will disappear under the sea water soon, can you swim?” “No” said flea, he added “six legs work very well on land but not so well in water”. Mingo drew even closer to Flea and said “may I suggest you take a ride on board the flamingo express” and with that Mingo lowered his long thin neck for Flea to jump on to. Flea sprang up with all the power his six legs could give and landed on a cushion of pink feathers that ran down the back of Mingo’s neck “Hang on tight for take-off” instructed Mingo. Flea, terrified, closed his eyes, he then felt the speed of Mingo running fast through the water until the wind lifted them up into the sea air.

What do you think Mr Flea? It’s quite a view isn’t it? Mingo asked. Flea covering his eyes with his four hands slowly made a gap between his fingers so he could see what was down below. A glorious blue ocean, seagulls, the pink flamingos dotted everywhere, the yellow sand soon came into view and Mingo gave the order to hold on tight. Lowering his body gracefully onto dry land, webbed feet outstretched for landing, Mingo touched down and made a halt on the sandy shore. Mingo once again lowered his neck, this time for flea to jump off.

“That was spectacular Mingo, thank you for returning me to dry land, you have saved my life” said Flea. “My pleasure Flea, it’s the least I could do after treading on you earlier.” With that flea hopped off to make it home before nightfall and Mingo was soon back to his upside down tricks again.