In the early days when the world was still quiet and the ocean whispered secrets to those who dared to listen, there lived a humble diver named Malavo. He was a man of few words and even fewer possessions. His home was a small hut made from driftwood on the shining white shores of Mahé, and his closest companions were the sea turtles and the waves that rocked him to sleep each night.
Malavo was known across the island for his skill in diving. While others feared the shadows beneath the reef, he believed that the ocean was alive and generous to those who treated it with respect. Each morning before sunrise, he would kneel by the shoreline, whisper a prayer to the spirits of the deep, and then slip quietly into the turquoise water that shimmered with the first light of dawn.
One calm morning, the sea was clearer than glass. Schools of silver fish darted past his eyes as he swam downward, deeper than he had ever gone before. At the ocean floor, where coral branches spread like frozen flames, something gleamed softly between two rocks. It was round and smooth, shining with a pale light that seemed to pulse like a heartbeat.
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Malavo reached out and lifted it gently. It was a pearl, larger than any he had ever seen. Its surface shimmered with the colours of sunrise, and as he held it close, it seemed to breathe. For a moment, Malavo thought the ocean itself was alive inside it.
He returned to the surface and placed it carefully on the sand. When the sunlight touched the pearl, it trembled, and then a single tear slipped from its side, falling into the sea. The water where the tear landed began to glow, and from that spot, a small piece of land started to rise, breaking through the surface of the ocean. Malavo stood frozen in awe as a new island came into being before his eyes.
In the days that followed, the pearl continued to weep. Each tear that touched the sea became another island. Soon, a chain of green jewels stretched across the wide blue waters. Each island was different and alive, surrounded by coral reefs and filled with the song of birds. Malavo realised that he was witnessing a sacred gift. He wrapped the pearl in a piece of cloth and carried it with reverence wherever he went, guarding it as though it were the heart of the ocean itself.
But word of the pearl began to spread. Traders, sailors, and even a local chieftain heard about the diver who could summon islands from the sea. Some called him blessed, others called him cursed. One night, when the moon was hidden behind clouds, a greedy merchant crept into Malavo’s hut while he slept. His eyes shone with envy as he found the pearl resting by the window. He snatched it and ran to the shore, his heart burning with desire for riches.
Standing on the beach, he held the pearl high above his head and shouted to the sea to create an island for him alone. The pearl did not glow. It began to tremble in his hand as if frightened. The merchant shouted again, louder this time, demanding obedience. Then the sea began to change. The waves grew dark and heavy. The wind howled and the pearl began to cry, not from sorrow but from pain.
A storm rose from the depths, fierce and wild. The waves swallowed the merchant, pulling him beneath the water. The pearl slipped from his hand and rolled back onto the shore. When the storm ended, the moon came out and shone upon it, making it glimmer faintly, as if it were relieved to be free again.
At sunrise, Malavo found the pearl lying near his doorstep. He lifted it and felt it tremble softly. He knew then that the pearl was not his to keep. It belonged to the ocean. With a heavy heart, he walked to the water’s edge, whispered a prayer of gratitude, and placed it back into the sea. The waves closed over it, gentle and calm, as though welcoming it home.
Years passed and the islands remained, scattered like emeralds across the sea. People came to live on them, building homes, planting fruit trees, and telling stories about the humble diver and the pearl that cried. Some said that when the sea is calm and the sun glows on the horizon, the pearl can still be seen shining deep beneath the water, dreaming of the islands it once created.
Malavo grew old, but his name was never forgotten. To this day, the people of Seychelles tell his story as a reminder that the greatest gifts are not meant to be possessed but cherished and respected.
Moral Lesson
The story of The Pearl That Cried teaches that true blessings are not for greed or pride but for care and gratitude. Nature rewards the humble and punishes those who take more than they deserve. The pearl’s tears gave birth to beauty, yet they also warned that every gift carries responsibility.
Knowledge Check
Who was Malavo in The Pearl That Cried?
Malavo was a humble Seychellois diver who discovered the magical pearl that created new islands.What made the pearl in The Pearl That Cried special?
The pearl could shed tears that turned into islands whenever it felt sorrow.How did the islands of Seychelles form in the story?
Each tear from the pearl created a new island, forming a chain across the sea.What happened when the greedy merchant stole the pearl?
The pearl wept in pain, causing a violent storm that swept the merchant into the sea.Why did Malavo return the pearl to the ocean?
He realised that the pearl belonged to the sea and should not be owned by any human.What is the main moral of The Pearl That Cried?
The story teaches that humility and respect for nature bring blessings, while greed brings destruction.
Source: Seychellois ocean myth, collected by François Leguat in Tales from the Indian Ocean Isles (1899).
