Speedy Cheetah was taking his daily run through the field when he passed his longtime

friend a the watering hole, Shelby Snail.

“Hey Shelby! When are you going to run against me in a race?”, asked Speedy.

“I don’t know.”, slowly said Shelby. “I have to think about it.”

“You say that everyday!”, said Speedy. “I will make it really sweet and make you want to

race. Let’s race for a meal!”

“If you win, you will get a spinach, strawberry and sunflower seed salad with a sassafras

soda and I will make it for you. If I win, I will get sixteen savory smothered steaks with a

small strawberry shake.”

“Sounds good so far. When and where will it be?”, asked Shelby,

“Let’s have it on Saturday, September seventh at six A.M. We will run six short miles

through the savanna. I am sure I will run circles around you,win the race and get my

sixteen steaks!”, said Speedy.

“Don’t be in such a hurry to name the winner of the race.”, said Shelby. “It has not started

yet. So much can happen between now and Saturday, September seventh at six A.M!”

Speedy continued to sail past Shelby on his daily short sprints at seventy miles per hour.

 

Saturday, September seventh at six A.M. came very quickly and with a few surprises. There

were several short showers the night before, so the savanna was slightly soggy at sunrise

that morning.

The sables, servals, sitatungas and springhares were all lined along the race trail through

the savanna to support the race. Sammy the elephant shrew came in this best striped suit

to referee the race. Shelby came out from under a palm leaf that morning and slowly

slithered to the starting line.

Speedy sauntered stealthily to the starting line. “I know this race is clearly mine!”, he

said.

“We will see.”, said Shelby.”The day is early and six miles to go, the savanna looks great

for a snail in a race.”

Sammy the elephant shrew said,” You are running a six mile loop around the savanna this

morning. The first one to finish will win either the salad and soda or the smothered steaks

and shake. May the best one win! On your marks! Get set! GO!”

Speedy took off in a flash from the start and slipped and slid along the muddy race trail,

but he still had the lead.

Shelby was slow and steady. “The mud, slime and slippery savanna is just my speed!”, said

Shelby.

When he reached the middle of the trail, Speedy has some problems and fell.  The trail was

muddy, lumpy and slick and his paw got stuck in a rut and he tumbled off the path and

rolled down a small hill into a deep, wet hole. The hole was so deep that Speedy could not

climb out by himself. He would really need some help.

Several hours passed and Shelby was at the end of the trail at the finish line. The sables,

servals, sitatungas and springhares cheered Shelby at the line. Sammy the elephant shrew

announced the Shelby the winner of the race.  Sammy asked hours later, “Where is

Speedy? He should be back by now!”

They all looked for Speedy and finally found him and helped him out of the hole.

“I guess I’ll have to get that spinach, strawberry, sunflower seed salad with the sassafras

soda.”, said Speedy.

“I will get you a strawberry smoothie for being a gracious loser!”, said Shelby. “Remember

when you plan a race, don’t forget to include the weather. The wet, the mud and the slime

help me slither and that is how I became the winner.”