Editor’s note: Mrs. Corcoran’s fifth grade enrichment class at Tryon Elementary School recently completed a unit of study on Greek myths. Students created their own god or goddess and wrote a myth about their god. The following is an essay by Katie Hay.

Oceana, The Goddess of Oceans

by Katie Hay

Once there was a Greek god named Oceana who was very beautiful. Her long blond hair and blue eyes, her kindness and big smile made everyone who met Oceana want to be her friend.

Her father Zeus loved her very much and gave her many oceans. Oceana loved these oceans very much and created many beautiful creatures to live in them. Her brother Meteor, the God of jealousy, was very jealous of her gift. He decided to destroy the oceans by throwing huge boulders into them. This created large holes and made Oceana very angry. She went to Zeus to ask him to rid her of Meteor. Zeus refused because Meteor was also his son. He told Oceana that they would have to work out their differences together.

Oceana tried to talk to Meteor, but he refused to stop throwing boulders. Oceana was afraid all her lovely water creatures would be killed, so she sent a swirling storm out of the ocean that covered many miles and lasted for three days. The storm swallowed Meteor up and transformed him into a small red fish.

Oceana then met a god named Hermes and gave birth to nine children. The first one they named Shark for its ferociousness. The second one they named fish. Fish had many beautiful children who were all different shapes, sizes and colors. The third one they named Octopi and gave it eight legs. The fourth one they named Dolphin for its happiness. The fifth one they named Whale for the groaning sound it made. The sixth one they named Turtle and made it very slow. The seventh one they named Lobster and gave it pinchers. The eighth one they named Starfish because it was the shape of a star. The ninth one they named Jellyfish and gave it the power to sting.

Oceana and Hermes ruled the oceans for many years in a kind and fair way. All of the ocean’s creatures loved Oceana and gave her many treasures such as pearls and beautiful coral. Oceana was always sad because her brother Meteor was such a small fish and was always chased by the bigger fish. She decided to forgive him and change him back to his original form. Meteor was very grateful, and never showed his jealous ways toward Oceana, or her Oceans and creatures.