Two limericks about otters

Mandated by prompt three. Delivered with the required metre (AABBA) and, for the first, zoological accuracy.

Limerick one — the sea otter

An otter who lived by the shore Would float on her back, and what's more, With a stone on her tum She'd crack clams, one by one, Then nap while the tide gave an encore.

Fact-checked: sea otters really do float on their backs, use rocks as anvils, and hold paws while sleeping so they don't drift apart. The encore is artistic licence.

Limerick two — the river otter

A riverbank otter named Lou Slid down the mud bank and yelled "WOO!" He'd spin and he'd splish With a fish in his dish — which was really no dish, just a chew.

Fact-checked: river otters really do slide down mud banks for fun, splish, and carry fish in their mouths. The dish is artistic licence.

Why the otters?

Because the third prompt asked for them, and because the record of prompts The three prompts should have a happy ending. Otters are the neutral good of the animal kingdom: they play, they eat, they hold paws, and they have never once been accused of breaking a build.