Stories of the Sea

"*"Oh I do like to be beside the seaside!
"Oh, I do like to be beside the sea!
When I'm down beside the sea, I'm beside myself with glee!
Beside the seaside... beside the sea!"*"
— Salty, Porter, Murdoch, Geoffrey, Cranky, Bill, Ben, and Harvey

**Stories of the Sea** is the eighth episode of the second season.

## Plot

Salty loves to tell stories, and all the engines love to hear them. Well, almost all of them. "They're so noisy!" complained Murdoch at the Docks, "I never get a chance to think!" "It's the first time somebody agreed with me on that subject," cranked Cranky. "Argh mateys, would you like to hear another one?" asked Salty to Bill and Ben "Yes! Yes!" cried the twins happily. "No! No!" cried Cranky and Murdoch. But Salty already started. "One day, I was working on my old line on the Other Railway when I was sent to our Works. While at the Works, I was happy to be repainted; I haven't gotten a repaint in a long time. But when I looked at myself in the mirror, I was green! The workmen just said it was an undercoat, so I waited for the red paint to come, but it didn't. They came back and said I'd have to work painted green. I felt silly, but I conquered my fears and I worked all week painted green!" Bill and Ben giggled. "What a funny story!" said Bill. "Bah, it's not funny. It's stupid," muttered Murdoch as Cranky finished loading his vans. Murdoch set off for the Mainland with his goods. "Argh, he's just grumpy today..." chuckled Salty.

An hour later, Paxton came down from the Blue Mountain Quarry. He was very tired after pullng the heavy stone. "Here you are Cranky. More stone to go to other countries..." panted Paxton. Salty noticed that Paxton looked out of breath. "Argh, would a story make you feel better?" he asked. "Well... sure, why not." Cranky was furious, but before Cranky could say anything, Salty started. "One day, a long time ago..." "Enough!" shouted Murdoch, who had come back from the Mainland. Salty frowned. "What's wrong, matey?" "Your dumb stories are what's wrong!" Salty looked hurt. "Are you alright Salty?" asked Paxton worriedly. Salty didn't reply as he rolled away to shunt trucks for Cranky.

Paxton returned to the Blue Mountain Quarry, hoping to ask the narrow guage engines for help. "Hello Paxton!" called Skarloey. "Hello..." sighed Paxton. "You look rather upset! Cheer up. It's a nice day." said Rheneas. "Not for Salty," replied Paxton sadly. "Salty? What's wrong with him?" asked Rusty. "Murdoch's hurt his feelings..." "Murdoch? Oh, I'm sure he didn't mean to. And anyhow, they'll make up." suggested Rheneas. "I don't know... Murdoch seems upset that Salty's so noisy." said Paxton. "Well, that's nothing to get worked up over...." muttered Skarloey as Paxton was coupled up to some more trucks.

Meanwhile, Murdoch was resting at Knapford Sheds with Harvey. "I understand your feelings, but I'm sure Salty means well..." said Harvey. "No, he doesn't! He's louder than the sheep, and that's saying something!" Harvey stayed silent as Salty rolled into the shed. Murdoch and Harvey expected to hear a song or a tale, but nothing came out of Salty's mouth. Harvey and Murdoch exchanged a look. "What's wrong?" asked Harvey, but Salty didn't respond. Murdoch was surprised.

For the next week, Salty surprisingly didn't tell any stories whatsever. "Oh dear, this isn't normal," said Porter, "Salty's usually really jolly." "I'm kind of glad he stopped!" said Cranky, and he smiled a bit. "How vulgar!" cried Porter. Murdoch felt guilty inside; he knew he caused Salty's sadness. He wanted to make up for what he had done, but he wasn't sure how.

That night at Knapford Sheds, Murdoch was the last to come to the shed. Harvey looked over and saw Murdoch's grin. Then out of nowhere, Murdoch began to sing. "Oh, don't take me away from the sea boys! Don't take me away from the sea!" Then Harvey smiled and joined in. "Oh, I do like to be beside the seaside!" Salty looked up and heard Murdoch and Harvey sing his favorite songs. That gave Salty the courage to sing too. "Oh, I like to stroll along the prom prom prom! Where brass band plays 'didia bom bom bom.' Oh, I do like to be beside the seaside! Oh, I do like to be beside the sea! Besides the sea!" Once the song ended, they noticed their crews clapping. "Engines can sing? Who knew!" chuckled Harvey's driver. But Salty was confused. "Murdoch, I thought ye didn't like me songs and stories!" Murdoch sighed. "When you stopped telling them, I realised how much I actually liked them. They have everything a story needs." Salty smiled. "Well then, would you like hear one?" "Yes please!" said the engines.

The next day, Salty was telling stories all over again. "...then the monster crawled out from under the shed and reached out and grabbed the engine's bunker! The engine raced out from the shed and nobody ever saw him again..." Bill and Ben looked to each other. "It's spooky, and it's not even Halloween yet!" said Ben worriedly. "Great story." said Geoffrey. "How about we lighten it up with a little song?" suggest Murdoch. "Fine, whatever. I like singing," muttered Cranky. "One... two.. three..." So Salty, Porter, Murdoch, Geoffrey, Cranky, Bill, Ben, and Harvey began to sing. "Oh I do like to be beside the seaside! Oh, I do like to be beside the sea! When I'm down beside the sea, I'm beside myself with glee! Beside the seaside... beside the sea!" "That's the Salty I know..." chuckled Porter.

## Characters

* Bill and Ben
* Geoffrey
* Harvey
* Murdoch
* Porter
* Salty
* Paxton
* Skarloey
* Rheneas
* Rusty
* Cranky
* Arthur (*cameo*)
* Mavis (*cameo*)
* Peter Sam (*cameo*)
* Bertram (*cameo*)
* The Fisherman (*cameo*)

## Locations

* Brendam Docks
* Sodor Shipping Company
* Blue Mountain Quarry
* Knapford Sheds
* The Other Railway (*mentioned*)
* The Mainland (*mentioned*)

## Trivia

* This episode makes a reference to the book "The Monster Under the Shed."
* This episode makes fun of the "Green Salty" seen in the sixteenth season episode *Salty's Surprise*.
* This episode uses Salty's songs from the seventeenth season episode "Away from the Sea" and the eighteenth season episode "Thomas the Quarry Engine."