That morning Ale was playing in his garden together with Viola, Eletta, and Lori. The sky was grey and it was a bit chilly, but the four friends didn't mind. They were building a track for coloured balls, using cardboard tubes and empty boxes.

"Look at my red ball, it's super fast!" shouted Ale hopping around.

"My blue one is even faster!" replied Lori laughing.

Suddenly, through the grey clouds, a ray of sunshine appeared. And with that ray came a familiar sound: "CHUFF CHUFF!"

"It's Toby the Magic Train!" they all shouted together.

The shiny red train stopped in front of them puffing happily. "Hello children, what lovely company! I'll take you where the sea makes magic! Golden beaches and dancing palms, get ready for surprising encounters!"

The four friends climbed excitedly onto the colourful carriages. Ale called his four cats. Sofia, the black kitten, jumped on first. Then came Dora, the brave tabby cat. Finally Poldo, the fat and round one, and Milo, the tall one who made enormous jumps.

"Let's go!" said Ale with sparkling eyes.

The train departed quickly through the clouds. When they came down, the children's eyes grew wide. In front of them was a beautiful island! The sand was golden like gold, the palm trees swayed in the wind, and the sea was so blue it looked painted.

"How hot!" said Eletta taking off her jacket.

She was right. On the island it was very hot, but a light breeze carried a sweet scent of flowers. The four friends got off the train and put their feet on the warm sand.

"Look at the sea!" shouted Viola running towards the water.

Suddenly, a grey and shiny head popped out of the water. It was a seal! But not a normal seal. This seal had a cute little face and was balancing a coloured ball on her nose.

"Hello children!" said the seal clapping her flippers happily. "I'm Flippy!"

Flippy threw the ball in the air, caught it with her nose, then did a spin in the water. The children clapped happily.

"You're so good!" said Ale.

"Do you want to play with me?" asked Flippy throwing the ball towards the beach.

Lori ran to catch it and threw it back. The seal caught it mid-air and laughed with delight. But just as they were playing, they heard a strange sound. It was a small cry, a "sniff sniff" coming from behind a rock.

"What was that?" asked Viola.

The children approached the rock. There they found a tiny little crab, red as a tomato. He was crying and moving his little legs nervously.

"Why are you crying?" asked Eletta gently.

"I'm lost!" said the little crab sobbing. "I can't find my beach anymore! I fell asleep on a piece of wood and the waves carried me here. My family is on the other side of the island, but I can't swim that far!"

The four friends looked at each other worried. The little crab was so small and sad.

"Don't worry, we'll help you!" said Ale with a brave voice.

"But how?" asked Lori. "The island is big and we can't swim that far!"

It was then that Flippy the seal came closer clapping her flippers. "I have an idea! But it's a bit... arduous!"

"Arduous?" asked Viola looking at the seal confused.

"Yes, arduous means difficult, complicated," explained Flippy. "We need to build a raft to cross the water and take the little crab to the other side!"

"A raft?" said the children together.

"Yes! A boat made of wood!" explained the seal. "But we have to build it ourselves!"

Suddenly the wind changed. The waves grew bigger and the sky became a bit darker. The little crab started crying even harder.

"I have to get home before it gets dark! I'm scared!" he cried.

This was the moment to act. Ale looked at his friends. "We have to do something right away!"

"But what can we use?" asked Eletta looking around.

Viola, who had a strong character, started walking along the beach. "Let's search!"

The four friends, together with Ale's cats and Flippy, began to explore the beach. They found branches washed up by the waves, abandoned ropes, and large palm leaves fallen from the trees.

"Look!" shouted Lori. "Here are some pieces of wood tied together!"

It was true! It looked like the remains of an old broken raft.

"Excellent!" said Flippy clapping her flippers. "But it's not enough. We need to make it bigger and stronger!"

But how? The children were small and didn't know how to build. It was Sofia, Ale's black kitten, who found a long rope hidden under the sand. Dora pulled out more pieces of wood with her paws. Poldo, the fat one, sat on the pieces to hold them still, while Milo jumped back and forth carrying palm leaves.

"Good cats!" said Ale stroking them.

The children began to tie the pieces of wood together. Viola held the rope steady, Eletta collected palm leaves to make a sail, Ale and Lori pushed the pieces of wood close together. But it was hard! The knots wouldn't hold well and the pieces kept moving.

"I can't do it!" said Lori frustrated.

The waves were getting bigger and bigger. The little crab was trembling with fear. "The sea is getting angry!"

It was then that Flippy said: "Wait! I know how to make knots with my flippers! My fishermen friends taught me!"

The seal came out of the water and with her flippers, surprisingly, began to make strong and sturdy knots. The children watched with their mouths open.

"We're almost there!" said Flippy.

After a lot of work, the raft was ready! It wasn't beautiful, but it looked strong. There were pieces of wood tied well together, ropes on the sides to hold onto, and in the middle a large palm leaf as a sail.

"Now we have to put it in the water!" said Ale.

All together they pushed. It was heavy! But pushing and pushing, the raft slid into the water. It floated!

"It works!" they shouted happily.

The little crab climbed onto the raft all excited. "Thank you friends!"

"Let's get on too!" said Viola.

The four children climbed onto the raft together with the cats. Flippy swam beside them pushing with her nose when needed. The raft began to move across the water. The waves made it rock up and down.

"It makes me want to laugh!" said Eletta holding on tight.

But suddenly a wave bigger than the others arrived. The raft tilted to one side! The children screamed in fright.

"Hold on tight!" shouted Flippy.

Poldo, the fat cat, slid towards the edge. Ale grabbed him just in time. The wave passed and the raft stabilised again.

"That was close!" said Lori with his heart beating fast.

The journey continued. The warm sun beat down on their heads, the scent of flowers arrived with the breeze, and the waves sang a sweet song. After a while, they saw another beach on the other side of the island.

"That's it!" shouted the little crab excitedly. "I recognise that big rock! My family is there!"

Flippy pushed the raft with more force. When they got close to the shore, the little crab jumped onto the sand and ran quickly. Other crabs, bigger ones, came out of the water and hugged him happily.

"You're back!" they said.

The little crab turned to the children with shiny eyes. "Thank you friends! You helped me when I needed it! You are true friends!"

The four children smiled at each other. They felt happy and proud.

Flippy clapped her flippers happily. "Did you see? When a friend needs help, true friends show who they are! You didn't give up, even when it was hard!"

They went back on the raft, this time more relaxed because the waves were calmer. When they arrived at the first beach, Toby the Magic Train was waiting for them puffing.

"Welcome back brave little sailors! You helped someone in trouble with a generous heart! Always remember this day, true friendship shows when help is needed along the way!"

The children, tired but happy, climbed onto the train together with the cats. They waved goodbye to Flippy who kept playing with her ball, and to the little crab who was waving bye-bye with his little legs.

"Goodbye beautiful island!" said Ale as the train departed.

When they returned to the garden, the sky was still grey but they felt warm inside. They had lived an incredible adventure and had learned something important: true friends show who they are when someone needs help. And they had been true friends to that lost little crab.