Why Does an Octopus Have Eight Legs?

Marina Horte
Translated from Russian by Irene W. Galaktionova

"Why does an octopus have eight legs?" asked Suri, the curious little fish.
"Oh, having eight legs is very handy," said Mommy Octopus. "You can stand on two, wash clothes with another two, rinse your washing with two more and hang it out to dry with the remaining pair!"
"Having eight legs is very handy," said Daddy Octopus. "You can stand on two in the sand, hold a hammer and nail with another two, cut a log with two more and catch the Naughty Little Octopus with the remaining pair!"
"And," said the Naughty Little Octopus, "you can also run a race. You can use four legs for running and wave the remaining four around - that'll speed you up!"
"Not just run a race," said a second Little Octopus. "You can have a boat race, too."
"Not only that," said the Girl Octopus. "We can make a great band! I will play the piano, the flute and the violin. And my brother can play the viola, the trumpet and the drums!"
"And," added Mommy Octopus, "I have five kids and I can feed them all at once!"
"But when it gets cold," said Suri, the curious little fish, "your family will need an awful lot of warm socks and gloves."
"Not a problem," said Mommy Octopus. "I can knit three pairs of gloves at the same time!"
"And besides," said Daddy Octopus, "we can go to the mall and buy all the socks and gloves we need. Because with my four pairs of legs I can earn us a very good living!"