Nello’s Snail-Speed Shortcut — Every day, after the jays finished their squeaky morning gossip, Nello raced across the fernwood path and tapped the far pine first. Read the full story →
Every day, after the jays finished their squeaky morning gossip, Nello raced across the fernwood path and tapped the far pine first. He wanted a new game grand enough to make even the squirrels stop chewing. So he invented Snail-Speed Shortcut: cross the fallen creek log without passing whoever was in front.
Until one day, a snail joined the game. It shined like wet pebbles and parked itself right in the middle of the log. Because of that, Nello had to step, stop, wiggle his nose, and wait. Because of that, he heard the hollow log go thunk-thunk underneath—a hidden beetle band practicing inside. “No rushing the conductor,” the snail said.
At last the beetles burst into a rattly march, the birds chirped time, and Nello crossed at snail-speed, grinning so hard his whiskers shook. He did not reach the pine first. He reached it with a parade. If you spot the tiny shell at the bark’s edge, don’t tell Nello the game is still going.
