34 The Eagle and the Tortoise

34. THE EAGLE AND THE

TORTOISE

By Kate Stonham

In a tumbledown cottage deep in

the countryside lived Old Mrs Mum

bles. Every morning, she opened

the kitchen door…and threw the

remains of last night’s dinner onto

the grass.

‘Three, two, one…bet I get there

first!’ cried Racy Rabbit.

All the animals that lived in the

garden charged towards the food

– all except Tod the very slow tor

toise.

‘Wait for me…!’ he croaked. But

it was no good – Racy Rabbit, Fox

and the birds were greedily tuck

ing into vegetable peelings and left

over stew…and by the time Tod

arrived, there was nothing left.

‘It’s not faaaaaair, he moaned. ‘I’ve

only got short little legs and my

shell is really heavy. I’m so slow I

always get there last.’

‘Never mind, Tod,’ squeaked his

friend, Milly Mouse. ‘Look, I’ve

saved you a nice piece of lettuce.’

As Tod chomped away, he spotted

a great Eagle soaring on the light

breeze way up high.

‘I wish I could fly like that eagle,’

he sighed. ‘Just imagine how fast

and free I would be!’

The next day, Tod poked his head

from his shell – and nearly jumped

out of it in surprise. For the eagle

was standing on the grass, looking

right at him.

‘Us eagles have very good eyesight

you know’, she said in a rather

raspy voice. ‘I read your lips yes

terday. And I have come to grant

you your wish. I shall teach you to

fly in the sky.’

‘Ohhh! Thank you, Eagle!’ cried

Tod. ‘I’ll give you anything you

want in return.’

‘Anything?’ asked the Eagle with a

glint in her eye.

1‘Yes, anything,’ replied Tod.

Tod gasped with excitement as the

Eagle carried him high into the sky.

Mountains and oceans and forests

and castles were spread out below

as far as he could see.

‘I can fly!’ cried Tod with delight.

‘Now, there’s just the small mat

ter of my payment,’ said the Eagle.

‘I’m rather partial to small, cud

dly creatures for my tea, so I’d like

that little mouse you were talking

too.’

‘What?! But you can’t eat Milly

– she’s my best friend,’ protested

Tod. ‘But you promised to give me

whatever I wanted,’ said the Eagle.

‘Er, yes I know - but not Milly,

pleeeease…’ pleaded Tod.

There was a horrible silence. Todd

shivered in the cold wind and

looked down. It was an awfully

long way to the ground…

‘Very well then,’ said the Eagle.

‘You wanted to fly – so let’s see

how you manage by yourself.’ And

with that, she shook Tod off her

back.

‘Heeeeeeelp!’ cried Tod as he fell

through the air. ‘You forgot to tell

me how to do it!!!’

‘It’s easy, just flap!’ cried the now

distant Eagle.

Tod flapped and flapped his little

legs, but it was no use. Down he

dropped like a very heavy stone.

‘I don’t think I like flying after

all…’ he gasped. ‘I’d much rather

be back on the ground. The prob

lem is, the ground’s getting very

close…very fast…!’

As the garden rushed up to meet

him, Tod shut his eyes…then

ever so slowly…opened them

again…

He had landed in a giant pile of let

tuce leaves. ‘We thought we’d give

you a soft landing just in case your

flying lesson went horribly wrong,’

giggled Racy Rabbit.

‘Lucky for you, Old Mrs Mumbles

had a big party last night, and

threw out loads of left overs!’ add

ed Milly.

2That night, the animals celebrated

with a feast. ‘Thanks for saving my

life, guys,’ said Tod as he chomped

on lettuce. ‘You know, I much pre

fer being slow and steady to flying

all fast and whizzy. I even like my

shell a bit more.’

He pulled his little friend under his

shell, and they munched to their

hearts’ content till the sun came

out again.

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