Akhilesh Tiwari

Barnaby the bunny was a blur of white fluff and ego. "A race!" he declared in the sun-dappled clearing, his voice echoing with unbearable confidence. "To the old willow tree. You and me, Sheldon."

Sheldon the turtle slowly blinked his ancient eyes. The forest creatures, gathered around, giggled. A race between the forest's fastest feet and its slowest was a joke they'd all heard before. But Sheldon, with a quiet dignity, simply nodded. "On your mark," he rumbled.

The race began as everyone expected. Barnaby was a streak of lightning, kicking up dust and disappearing around the first bend before Sheldon had even moved a full foot. Halfway to the willow, Barnaby, miles ahead, decided to put on a show. He stopped, feigned a massive yawn, and theatrically flopped down under a large oak tree for a "nap," winking at the squirrels who scurried past.

Sheldon, meanwhile, was a portrait of persistence. He plodded. He trudged. His rhythm never broke. Hours passed. The sun began to dip, painting the sky in orange and purple.

Just as the moon began to rise, a hush fell over the finish line. There, emerging from the gloom, was Sheldon, his shell gleaming, as he slowly, deliberately, crossed the finish line. The crowd of animals erupted in a disbelieving roar! The turtle had won!

Later that night, long after the celebrations had died down, two figures met in a dark corner of the woods.

"You were brilliant, Sheldon," Barnaby whispered, handing the turtle a heavy pouch of seeds.

Sheldon nodded, a shrewd glint in his eye. "The odds were 100-to-1 against me. Nobody can resist betting on an underdog."

Barnaby counted his own, much larger pouch. "They all bet their winter stores on you. While they were distracted by the 'race,' my cousins emptied every last berry bush and nut tree on the far side of the forest."

Sheldon chuckled, a low, gravelly sound. "It turns out," he said, "it’s not about being slow or steady. It's about making sure everyone else is watching the wrong race."

Penzo

Akhilesh Tiwari

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