Slow-Poke Meets Sally Snail

“It sure is a nice day for a walk,” said Slow-Poke Duck as he walks out of the barn door.

“Hurry back,” called Mother Duck. “I need that milk for dinner.”

“I will Mother,” said Slow-Poke. “I will hurry as quickly as I can.”

Now, for anyone else that wouldn’t have been a problem but for Slow-Poke it is a major problem because Slow-Poke is so very slow. He knew that he was going to have to hurry though. He tried putting his web feet one in front of the other more quickly than usual but the problem is that he fell right onto his behind.

“Mother said I have to hurry,” said Slow-Poke getting himself up off the side of the road and dusting himself off.

“What do you have to hurry for?” Slow-Poke heard someone say to him.

Slow-Poke didn’t see anyone at first until he looked down at the gravel and saw a tiny snail.

“I have to go to the store for Mother,” said Slow-Poke. “She needs me to get some milk for dinner.”

“I’ll show you a short-cut,” said the snail.

“Really,” said Slow-Poke. “That would be great.”

Slow-Poke and the snail walked along a path through some thick forest. The snail was moving even slower than Slow-Poke and Slow-Poke knew it was taking them a long, long time even though it was a short-cut.

“Listen,” said Slow-Poke. “This is taking forever. I have to get going. I’m sorry but you are moving even slower than I am.”

“Well,” said the snail. “I’ve got an idea. Why don’t you pick me up and carry me?”

“That is a wonderful idea,” said Slow-Poke, picking the snail up in his hand and quickly taking a good look at it. “Hey, no wonder you move so slow. You have to take your house with you everywhere you go.”

“Yes,” said the snail. “That is true.”

Slow-Poke and the snail were at the store in five minutes time.

“Hey,” said Slow-Poke, walking back home with a carton of milk in one hand and the snail in the other hand. “This short-cut is actually quicker.”

“I know,” said the snail. “I usually take it everyday when I go into the village.”

Slow-Poke laid the snail down outside the front of his house when he arrived with the milk.

“Thank you very much,” said Slow-Poke. “I really enjoyed my walk with you and Mother is very pleased because I was actually back home with the milk quicker than ever.”

“You are very welcome,” said the snail. “By the way, if you ever need another short-cut, I know every single one of them.”

“Really,” said Slow-Poke.

“Yes,” said the snail.

“That is good to know,” said Slow-Poke. “By the way my name is Slow-Poke.”

“My name is Sally,” said the snail.

“I’d like to be your friend, Sally,” said Slow-Poke.

“Me too,” said Sally.

“Listen tomorrow morning I want to go to the park,” said Slow-Poke. “Do you want to come with me?”

“Sure,” said Sally. “I know this great short-cut too.”