Whynn Says Also Because

Whynn is the middle otter. He wears a bright yellow scarf, and he is the kind of otter who notices the second thing. When everyone else is looking at the big splash, Whynn is looking at the ripples.

One evening on the warm flat rock, Larkin read a story.

“Bear’s ice cream melted all over his paws. It was the hottest day of summer, and Bear had stopped to talk to every single friend on the way home.”

Whyatt, the oldest, found the first reason right away. “The ice cream melted because it was the hottest day of summer!”

“Yes,” said Whynn. “That’s a good because.” He paused and tapped his paw. “And also because Bear stopped to talk to every friend on the way home. That took a long time. The longer you hold ice cream, the more it melts.”

Whyatt looked surprised. “Oh. I didn’t think of that.”

“That’s okay,” said Whynn, and he felt a warm, friendly gladness. He liked adding things. It felt like adding another log to a cozy fire. “You found one. I found another one. Now we have two.”

Little Whyla wriggled. “But which one is right?”

“Maybe both!” said Whynn. “Most things don’t happen for just one reason. They happen for a few reasons, all at once. If it had been a cool day, the ice cream might not have melted, even with all the talking. And if Bear had gone straight home, it might not have melted, even on a hot day. Both reasons helped.”

Whyla thought about that. “So it’s like… a team of reasons?”

“Exactly,” said Whynn. “A team of reasons.”

Larkin turned the page. “The next day, Bear bought his ice cream in a cup.”

Whyatt laughed. “Because he didn’t want sticky paws again!”

“Also because,” said Whynn, with a sly smile, “a cup catches the drips if you stop to chat.”

All three otters giggled.

That is Whynn’s gift. When you find one because, don’t stop. Look around for one more. Say also because. A story, and the world, almost always has more than one reason why.