The rain was pattering gently on the windows while Lori, Ale, Viola, and Eletta had transformed the living room into a big construction site. They had taken all the sofa cushions, the soft blankets, and even the cardboard rolls to build a special little fort.

"I'm putting this cushion up here!" said Lori, climbing quick as lightning onto the armrest of the sofa.

"Wait, everything will fall down!" exclaimed Viola with her blue eyes sparkling with concern. She was holding the base of the fort steady with her determined little hands.

Ale was hopping around the fort, all happy. "We can make towers! Tall towers!"

Eletta, calm as always, was arranging the blankets carefully to make the roof. She was so focused that she didn't say anything, but she was smiling.

Just at that moment, from outside came a sound that everyone knew well.

"CHUFF CHUFF!"

The four children looked at each other with eyes wide with joy.

"Toby!" shouted Lori, who was always the fastest to run to the door.

And indeed, right there in the rain-soaked garden, there he was: Toby the Magic Train! He was colored red and yellow, with wheels that shone like gold coins. From his chimney came little clouds of smoke that formed tiny stars.

Toby the Magic Train whistled cheerfully and said in his funny voice:

"Hello little friends with hearts of silver, today I'll take you where the wind makes you shiver! A king on his throne is very upset, someone may have tricked him, I bet!"

"An angry king?" asked Viola, curious.

"Let's go see!" said Lori, already ready to climb aboard.

The four children ran through the rain, which seemed to stop right above them as if by magic. They climbed into Toby the Magic Train's colorful carriages: Lori in front, then Viola, Eletta, and Ale.

"CHUFF CHUFF!" went Toby again, and off he zoomed!

The little train flew over the gray clouds, then down toward the sea. But he didn't stop at the beach. No, no! Toby the Magic Train dove right into the water! The children screamed in surprise, but they didn't get wet even a little bit. It was all magical!

Under the sea there was an incredible world. Colorful fish swam around them, and the waves seemed to cuddle them. A very strong wind was blowing underwater, pushing boats made of shells that went super fast with their seaweed sails.

"Look at those boats!" said Ale, pointing with his little finger. "They're going so fast!"

Toby the Magic Train stopped in front of a great palace made of pink coral and white pearls. There was an enormous door, all decorated with starfish.

"We have arrived, dear friends," said Toby the Magic Train. "Here there's a mystery, don't be scared! Seek the hidden truth with care, and you'll find the answer fair."

The children got off the train and the door opened by itself.

They entered a big, beautiful hall. There was a golden throne in the center, with blue velvet cushions. On the walls hung very colorful tapestries, with pictures of fish, crabs, and seahorses. But on the throne sat someone very sad.

It was King Coraline, an old crab with a crooked crown on his head. His claws were crossed and he was looking at the floor with reddened eyes.

"King Coraline, what's wrong?" asked Lori, approaching bravely.

The King barely raised his gaze. "My friend Zilla lied to me. And now I don't know what to believe anymore."

"Who is Zilla?" asked Viola in her decisive tone.

Before the King could answer, through the large window came a very long and slender creature, moving and dancing in the water. She was gray and green, thin as a rope, and swayed gracefully.

"That's an eel!" explained Eletta in her quiet little voice. "An eel is a long, narrow fish, without big fins, that swims by moving in waves, like a little water snake."

The eel was called Zilla, and she danced between the columns of the throne room as if she were performing a ballet. She twisted around, did pirouettes, and giggled to herself.

"Hey there, little visitors!" said Zilla in a crafty little voice. "Welcome to King Coraline's hall! Do you like how I dance?"

"It's beautiful!" said Ale, hopping on the spot to imitate her.

But Lori noticed something. Zilla never looked the King in the eyes. And when she passed near him, she swam away quickly.

"Why is the King angry with you?" asked Lori directly.

Zilla stopped dancing for a moment. "Oh, nothing important! It's all a misunderstanding, you'll see!"

King Coraline slammed a claw on the armrest of the throne. "It's not a misunderstanding, Zilla! You said my treasure had been stolen by the little fish from the reef, and I sent them away! But now they tell me it's not true!"

Zilla twisted nervously. "Well... maybe I exaggerated a little bit..."

"Did you tell a lie?" asked Viola, crossing her arms just like she did when she wanted the truth.

Zilla didn't answer. Instead, with a quick flash, she disappeared behind a large red curtain.

"She ran away!" shouted Ale.

"We have to find her!" said Lori, looking around.

The throne room was full of hiding spots: curtains, columns, sea-wood chests. But Zilla seemed to have vanished into thin air.

Eletta, always attentive to details, approached the wall where there was a large tapestry with a seahorse drawn on it. "Look here," she said calmly. "The tapestry is moving."

It was true! A corner of the tapestry was waving, as if there were wind behind it. But underwater there was no normal wind. Something was strange.

Lori ran super fast to the tapestry and pulled it aside. Behind it was a crack in the wall, narrow and dark.

"A secret passage!" exclaimed Lori with eyes that sparkled.

The passage was small, but the children could fit through. Lori went in first, then Viola, then Ale, and finally Eletta.

The tunnel was dark and a bit cold. The walls were made of smooth rocks, covered with sea moss that glowed faintly green.

"I'm a little scared," admitted Ale, squeezing Viola's hand.

"We're staying together," said Viola in her strong tone. "Nothing happens if we stay together."

Lori led the group, fast but careful. After a few steps, the tunnel opened into a small secret cave.

And there, curled up in a corner, was Zilla. But she wasn't laughing anymore. She was crying.

"Zilla!" said Lori, approaching. "Why are you crying?"

The dancing eel raised her long little snout. "I... I didn't want to hurt anyone. I played a prank. I like playing pranks, you know? But this prank went too far."

"What prank did you play?" asked Viola.

Zilla sniffled. "I hid the King's treasure to play a little joke on him. I wanted to see his surprised face when he couldn't find it. But then he got so angry, and I was scared to tell him the truth. So I said it was the little fish from the reef."

"And they were sent away because of you!" said Eletta sadly.

"I know," sobbed Zilla. "Now nobody will love me anymore. That's why I'm hiding here."

Lori sat down next to the eel. "Zilla, if you tell the truth, things can get better. But if you keep hiding, it will always be worse."

"But the King will be so angry!"

"Maybe yes," said Viola. "But at least it will be the truth. And the little fish can go back home."

Zilla thought about it for a long time. Then she nodded with her long head.

"You're right, children. You found me, and that means something. Lies can't stay hidden forever."

Together, they returned to the throne room through the secret passage. King Coraline was still sitting there, sad.

Zilla approached, dancing slowly this time, without being sneaky.

"King Coraline," she said in a trembling voice, "I have to tell you the truth. I was the one who hid your treasure. It was a prank, but I got everything wrong. And I lied about the little fish. I'm so sorry."

The King looked at her. His eyes were stern, but then they softened.

"Zilla, I am disappointed. Lies hurt a lot, more than pranks. But you had the courage to tell the truth, and that counts."

"Can I make it right?" asked Zilla.

"Yes. Bring back the treasure and go apologize to the little fish."

Zilla nodded and, dancing away, went to get the hidden treasure. When she returned with a small chest full of sparkling pearls, the King smiled for the first time.

"Thank you, little children," said King Coraline to the four friends. "You found the truth when everyone had given up."

Lori smiled, proud. Viola nodded, satisfied. Ale did a little jump of joy, and Eletta smiled sweetly, leaning on Viola's shoulder because she was starting to get a bit tired.

"CHUFF CHUFF!"

Toby the Magic Train was waiting for them outside the palace. The children waved goodbye and climbed into the carriages.

Toby the Magic Train whistled and said:

"The truth shines bright like summer sun, while lies deflate when all is done! Who tells the truth has peace of heart, who lies ends up falling apart!"

And so, the magic train took them back home, where the rain had stopped and a beautiful rainbow colored the sky.

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**The moral of this story:**
Lies have short legs, and sooner or later the truth always comes out. This means that when we tell a lie, even if at first it seems like nobody will find out, in the end the truth always pops up. It's much better to tell the truth right away, even if we're scared, because that way we can make things right and be forgiven. Like Zilla, who when she told the truth was able to say sorry and stay friends with the King.

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