Jonathan, the Fastest Snail in the Meadow - Part 2
“Ooooph!” He gasped.
“See?” Said Jonathan triumphantly, “I told you I wasn’t sleepy and slow!”
Andy stroked his chin thoughtfully.
“You want me to steer Jonathan?” Andy asked Robbit, “Why?”
Robbit explained the whole story.
“H’mmm,” Said Andy when Robbit had finished, “I never did like the Beetle Boys.’ it would be nice to chase them off the meadow.”
Andy climbed up on the front of Jonathan’s shell
“I’ve never driven a racing snail before,” He said, “This could really be fun.”
The two Beetle Boys looked up as they saw Jonathan slide into view.
“Oh, look,” They sneered, “it’s a boring, slow snail.”
They peered at Jonathan’s shell.
“Ooh, look,” Tittered one, “it says SWOT.”
“I’d like you to clean it off my shell, please, “ Said Jonathan, quietly.
“And if we don’t?” Said one of them menacingly, “What will you do then?”
“I’ll chase you,” Said Jonathan bravely, “So fast you fall over. Then you won’t be able to get up.”
“Hooo, hooo, hoooo,” The beetles hooted, and scampered off up the hill.
Suddenly, Jonathan leapt after them like a rocket.
Vrrroooooom!
“Yikes!” Screeched the beetles.
They scuttled down the hill as fast as they could. So fast, they didn’t see Old Mrs Spider’s fresh new web lying right across their path.
Crash! Thump! Thump!!
The two beetles tripped and rolled over and over down the hill, landing upside down.
“Help,” They called, their legs waving in the air, “Turn us back upright”
“Not ‘til you’ve said sorry and promised to clean my shell,” Said Jonathan firmly.
“Oh, all right then,” The beetles called out crossly, “We’re sorry.” Jonathan and Andy hoisted them back on to their feet.
“Right,” Jonathan instructed them, “Now you can start cleaning.”
The two beetles scrubbed and polished Jonathan’s shell until it gleamed.
“Thank you,” Said Jonathan, “My shell looks like new.”
The beetles shuffled their feet: nobody had ever said thank you before.
“Glad you like it,” Said one of them gruffly.
“We could polish your friends’ shells as well,” Added the other.
And so, for the rest of the week, the two Beetle Boys washed and polished the shells of every snail in the meadow. All the snails were thrilled, and said thank you very much.
The beetles felt so good about the way everybody was pleased with them, they didn’t feel like bullying at all.
“Now that everyone knows we’re not nasty,” They declared, “We don’t have to be bullies. We can just be friends.”
And, from then on, the beetles became friends with everybody in the meadow. And they never, ever bullied anybody again.
The End
© Jan Luthman
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