Page 1
The forest was buzzing with excitement. Oswald Owl had just announced that the first prize for the annual Great Race would be a wonderful party. Everyone wanted the prize, but there could only be one winner.
Page 2
"I'll be first," boasted Freddy Fox. "My long legs make me the fastest."
Page 3
Tonya Turtle frowned. “My legs are much too short to be quick.”
Page 4
“Don't worry,” Barry Beaver said.
“We can practice to get faster.”
“We'd better start soon.
The race is in three days!” cried Debbie Duck.
The friends hurried off to prepare.
Page 5
But Freddy didn't need to prepare. He was already the fastest.
Page 6
The animals marked off a track. They practiced racing again and again.
“Train with us!” called Tonya Turtle.
Page 7
But Freddy felt like curling up to take a nap in the sun. So he did.
Page 8
The next day, Bella Bear gave the friends fruit to eat.
“Healthy food will give us energy,” she said.
Debbie Duck offered Freddy a banana.
But Freddy felt like eating ice cream instead.
So he did.
Page 9
After he finished, Freddy Fox's stomach was very bloated. He trudged over to his friends.
Page 10
“We're stretching,” huffed Barry Beaver as he reached for his toes.
Debbie Duck lifted her wings over her head as high as she could. “You might hurt your muscles if you don't stretch.”
Page 11
Freddy shook his head and sat down.
Stretching looked like a lot of work.
“I think I'll just watch,” he mumbled.
So he did.
Page 12
At last it was time for the race.
All the animals stood in a row behind the starting line.
“Ready, set, race!” yelled Oswald Owl.
Page 13
Freddy Fox leaped ahead. After awhile, his stomach began to hurt from all that ice cream. Bella Bear lumbered past him.
Page 14
He ran on. Soon his lungs ached. He couldn't breathe. Debbie Duck flapped ahead of him.
Page 15
Freddy stumbled. His paws cramped.
Page 16
Barry Beaver scooped up Tonya Turtle.
Together they scampered ahead of Freddy
and across the finish line.
Page 17
Freddy hung his head as he limped
to the end of the race.
He had lost!
Freddy crept away as his
friends cheered for Bella Bear.
"Wait!" Bella called.
"Come celebrate
with us!"
Page 18
"Yeah," Tonya Turtle chimed in. "There's plenty of ice cream."
Page 19
“No more ice cream for me,”
Freddy Fox said, and he joined his friends as they laughed.
