There once was a little turtle named Larry. He wasn’t too much smaller than the other turtles but he had a big spirit. Once a year came a wondrous day for all the turtles in Stardust Town. The race between all the turtles was once again underway. Larry woke that morning with a grand smile on his face.
“Today is the first day of training,” Larry told himself as he crept out of his wooden bed to the floor.
He walked through his front door to start his training for the big race on Saturday.
“Hmmm,” he thought out loud to himself.
“This year is going to be different. I’m going to take first!” His face began to brighten more and more as he thought about that trophy in his grasp.
Off he went. He was strolling down the dust walkway when the thought came to him.
“I’ll just find a way to make me faster than everyone else. A way that no one would expect.”
A giant grin grew upon his little face as he raced to the store.
“This firework will shoot me to that finish line in lightning speed. It’s perfect.”
Larry stood up and hopped in glee for a moment before he carefully strapped the firework to the top of his shell. He pulled out a single match and lit the tip of the string that lights the firework. But just was he was getting on his four feet again the firework burst up in a flash. It shot up with great speed for the sky above, as Larry’s shell got stuck between two limbs of the tree above him.
The firework burst with colors of wonder and shimmer, but poor Larry was still stuck there in the tree. Not paying much attention to the show in the sky, Larry wiggled his feet back and forth.
“HELP!!!” He screamed in disappointment and Embarrassment.
Henry the rabbit at this time was hopping along the road singing a soft tune about spring.
“Oh spring is so lovely, spring is so wonderful.. la la la,” the rabbit sang when he heard a cry for help.
“Oh goodness ” he said to himself as he hopped in circles to find the source of the cry.
“Where are you???” he yelled
“Up here.”
The rabbit, puzzled, looked up to see these little turtle feet wiggling to be free from the tree.
“Oh dear, my good friend, you seem to be in a pickle” He gave a little giggle before he jumped up as high as he could and grabbed the turtles little feet. The rabbit pulled and pulled till Larry came loose. They fell to the ground.
“Now then. We haven’t properly met. My name is Henry Hopsalong. But you can just call me Henry.” He gave a smile to Larry as he reached to shake his hand.
“I’m Larry the turtle. Thank you for helping me out of that tree there.”
They then shook hands.
“No problem, but if you don’t mind me asking, what were you doing in that tree anyway? I mean turtles don’t fly, silly, or climb up trees.”
Larry watched as Henry started hopping in space. He sat down on the ground and began to tell the story of his encounter with the pesky tree and gave a great sigh.
“Well you see I’m trying to find a way to make me faster than all the other turtles for the big race this Saturday. I tried putting a firework on my back but before I could put all my feet on the ground, the firework lit and shot through the tree and my shell got stuck.”
Henry gave another small giggle and jumped with excitement.
“I know how to make you go faster. It will work, I promise.” Henry pulled some roller-skates from his backpack and handed them to Larry.
“I don’t know how to roller-skate though…”
“It’s easy Just slip them on and slide your feet along the road,” Henry told Larry.
Larry slipped on the shoes but they were much too big for his small feet. He stood up as he wiggled to keep his balance.
“Whoa… whoa,” he said over and over.
He finally stood up all the way and started to take his first step. In his mind he thought the rabbit was right; this will make him faster than all the other turtles, but he spoke too soon. Larry had started sliding backwards down the hill and flew down the hill in a whoosh.
“HENRY HOW, DO YOUR STOP THESE THINGS!?” Larry’s screams quickly became more and more faint.
“I’m coming buddy!!” said the rabbit.
The rabbit hopped after Larry as fast as the wind and his big feet would take him, but by the time he caught up with Larry it was too late.
Larry had skated backwards down some wooden steps and hit this little door with a big bounce. Larry was tipped upside down on his shell. His feet flew in all directions as he spun on the back of his shell, becoming quite dizzy.
“Don’t worry, I’m here. Give me your hand.”
As the two tried to wrestle the poor turtle off his shell, a really small figure sped out of the tiny door to the steps.
“Did you see that???” they asked each other.
Out from the walk way to the stairs came forth a mouse. His ears were big, with a little pink nose and sparkling eyes. His feet were way smaller than their feet and he was an ant compared to them, but they didn’t care.
“Hello? What seems to have knocked on my door? Why it’s a turtle and a rabbit.”
The mouse tapped his small feet in joy.
“My name is Figgy, it’s nice to meet you two… oh my goodness, I don’t even know your names yet. What may they be?”
The rabbit’s ears lifted with grace as he reached for the mousse’s hand.
“My name is Henry and this is my buddy Larry.” The mouse was filled with joy to have met such interesting new friends.
“Umm… I still could use a little help please,” said Larry.
“Oh my dear friend, you don’t need help. Just roll your body side to side till you land on your side and than just stand up.” The mouse smiled.
“Okay, I’ll try it.” Larry rolled and rolled until at last he was on his side and then he stood with great pride in what he has just done.
“I did it!!” he said happily.
“YEAH,” the rabbit and the mouse yelled and clapped.
“Now then, what’s all this ruckus you two are making?” Figgy asked.
Larry and Henry took a quick glance at each other and told their new friend what happened. They told Figgy of how Larry wanted to do nothing more than win the big turtle race on Saturday and how they were trying to find a way to make him faster than the other turtles. They all shared a big laugh when Henry spoke of how he met Larry, all the way to how they met Figgy.
“Well, it would seem like you’re a little lost my, dear friend,” said Figgy to Larry.
“Oh no, I’m not lost at all. I know my way home.” Said Larry.
Figgy stood there puzzled for a moment, then spoke.
“Oh no, my silly friend. I don’t mean that you don’t know your way home. I mean that you seem to be lost on what you really need to win this race that you want so badly.”
Larry thought to himself. He just didn’t understand what Figgy was talking about, but figured that he knew the thing that would make him faster, so he asked.
“What do I need then to make me faster?”
Figgy leaped from the step he was standing on and landed on Larry’s head.
Larry’s eyes looked up at Figgy as he took a seat on his head and looked down at him.
“All you need is yourself. True speed lies inside your passion to win. You don’t need silly fireworks and roller-skates, all you need is your spirit to win. You will win the race this year, my friend. Just trust me, but most of all trust in yourself.”
Figgy smiled at Larry and Larry smiled back.
“Maybe you’re right, Figgy. I think I will just do my best.”
Larry went to be that night with an even bigger smile on his face. Days had passed, and sure enough Saturday came.
Larry stood at that starting line that day full of spirit and confidence. The turtles all waited for the rooster to crow to begin the race. The rooster let out a big crow and just like that, they were off in a flash.
Larry ran with a smile on his face the whole time. His new friends were cheering him on the whole way. Larry came to the end of the race. He closed his eyes and leaped into the air for joy.
He finally won the race. Larry’s new friends rushed to his side and they all went to Larry’s house to celebrate his special day. Larry then knew that all he needed was a little faith that he could do it on his own.
THE END