Speedy and Molasses

A Children's Story. This is an anthropomorphic retelling of 'Tortoise and the Hare' with a canine cast. This is the second book in the Furry Tails series. I hope you enjoy it.

Furry Tails, are far out stories and fairy tales, performed by actors
from the Puppy Town Actors' Guild. Some of these actors are still living
at the Puppy Town Pound. I encourage everyone to think about going to
the Puppy Town Pound (or the pound nearest to you) and bring home
your own Puppy Town Actor. And here's hoping that someday every
Puppy Town Actor will have a warm and loving home, where they can be
the lead actor in their own story.

 

    Once upon a time, in a land called Furville, in the village of Bowtown,
there lived a greyhound named Speedy. Speedy was not an exceptionally
smart dog, nor was she terribly clever, but there was something about
Speedy that made her special. Speedy was very, very fast. In fact, everyone
in Bowtown knew that Speedy was the fastest thing on four legs.

 

     But, as is the habit with many who are exceptionally good at something, Speedy would brag about her incredible speed - often and to anyone who would listen. Sadly, this constant bragging made Speedy pretty unpopular in Bowtown. It was a shame, after all. It was not that Speedy was a bad dog, or a mean dog, but she was boring.

 

    Whenever Speedy had a captive audience, she would start bragging.
"I can beat you to the 'Bag of Bones Market'", or "I can run twice as fast as you can," she would say. Most of the inhabitants of Bowtown would run as fast as their four legs could take them, in the opposite direction, whenever they saw Speedy coming their way.

 

    But, Speedy did have one friend, and a very good friend she was. Her
name was Molasses. Molasses got her name because she was jet black and shiny like molasses, but it suited her for another reason as well. Molasses was slooooooooow. Whereas Speedy was tall and lean with very long legs, Molasses was short and round with stumpy little legs.

 

    Molasses was different from her friend in another way as well.
Molasses was extremely smart. She was, in fact, smart enough to
figure out why her friend bragged as much as she did. Molasses understood
that Speedy wanted others to like her, she just did not think that she was
worth being liked.

 

   Speedy knew that she was not especially smart or clever or funny. She
thought that she had to be special at something in order to be liked.
Molasses knew that Speedy thought she had to keep reminding others why
she was so special.

 

    Molasses truly wanted to help her friend, so she came up with a plan.
One day, in the town square, when all the townsdogs were out and about,
Molasses jumped up on the fountain in the middle of the square. "Friends,"
she barked, "I have an announcement to make."

 

    "I have decided to accept Speedy's challenge to race," said Molasses. A hush fell over the crowd, then everyone started barking and whining at once. Had Molasses lost her mind? She could never hope to beat Speedy in a race. Speedy did not need another reason to brag.

 

    "Next week," said Molasses, "I will race Speedy from here to the end of town."

 

     Speedy was shocked. She was eager to show her skill and her speed in a race, but she did not want to have to humiliate her best friend; for - heaven knows, it would not be much of a race.

 

    Speedy fretted about what she should do all week, and by the day of
the race she had decided. 'I will win the race of course', thought Speedy, 'but
I will go very, very slow, so that I don't embarrass Molasses too much.'

 

    The day of the race came, and everyone gathered in the town square.
The horn blared and the race began. Molasses started at a vigorous
pace, but with such short little legs and such a round body she was not
making very good time.

 

    Meanwhile, Speedy had raced like a shot and was gone from sight
almost immediately. 'When I reach the woods', she said to herself, 'I will take
a nap and let Molasses catch up.' And that is just what she did.

 

    When Speedy awoke it was just in time to see her friend passing by.
Poor Molasses looked so tired. Speedy waited until Molasses was out of sight,
then she started walking.

 

    A little ways down the path Speedy heard a noise. It sounded like a
kitten crying. Speedy stopped and began looking through the tall grass.
There, among the weeds was the cutest little kitten sitting all by itself. The poor little thing was crying.

 

    "What is the matter?" asked Speedy.

 

    "I can't find my mother," cried the kitten.

 

    "I'll help you find her," said Speedy. So, off they went. When the kitten
was returned to her mother, Speedy said goodbye and went back to the race.
She thought that maybe she would go a little faster, because a lot of time
had passed.

 

    As she was jogging down the path, she came upon a pretty collie who was crying and fretting in the middle of the road.

 

    "Why are you crying?" asked Speedy.
    
 

    "Because," said the collie, "I need some milk for my puppies, but I have
no money."

 

    "Wait here for me," said Speedy. So, off she ran. Speedy ran quickly
 to the Bag of Bones Market where she bought some milk and some
puppy chow. She brought it back to the collie. After Speedy said her goodbyes,
she looked up at the sun and saw that it truly was getting late. She
would have to hurry. So, off she ran.

 

    As she was running by the river, Speedy came across a very old dog
sitting by the water.

 

    "Hello, my name is Speedy, what's yours?"

 

    "My name is Sammy Schnauzer," responded the old dog.

 

    "Well Sammy, it is a beautiful day, why are you sitting by the river
looking so sad?"

 

    "I need to get across the river, but I am too old to swim," said the
Schnauzer.

 

    "Don't worry," said Speedy, " you can just hop on my back. I will swim you
to the other side." Speedy swam back across the river and barked Sammy a final
farewell. 'Now I really must hurry, for it is very late.'

 

    Speedy raced as fast as she could. Soon she saw the finish line. There was Molasses. 'So I can still win the race if I hurry,' Speedy thought.

 

    But, Speedy looked at her friend. She saw how hard Molasses was trying and how tired her friend was.

 

    Speedy slowed down, as Molasses trudged on. Suddenly, Speedy stumbled
and fell to the ground, just in time to see her friend cross the finish line.

 

    All the dogs in the crowd began barking and running around in circles. They ran to lift Molasses up on their backs. Speedy was all but forgotten, except by her friend.

 

   Molasses struggled through the crowd to where Speedy was lying in the road.
"What happened Speedy - are you all right?" asked Molasses.

 

    "I'm fine," said Speedy sadly, as she got to her feet. "I just
stumbled. Congratulations, Molasses, you won the race fair and square. I guess that means that no one will like me anymore." Speedy sighed, and started walking away. Her head was so low that her nose almost touched the
ground.

 

   "Speedy, wait don't go, you are wrong."

 

   "What do you mean?" Speedy asked her friend.

 

    "Everyone should like you even more now that they can see what a
good friend you can be," Molasses said.

 

    "I don't understand," said Speedy with a curious look on her face.

 

  Molasses explained. "Only a good friend would have stopped to help the kitten and the collie and Sammy Schnauzer, instead of worrying about the race."

 

    "How did you know about that?" asked Speedy in surprise.

 

    "I knew about them because I asked them to wait for you - it was all
part of my plan."

 

   Well now Speedy was all confused. "Why would you do that?"

 

   "I did it because I am your friend and I know how wonderful you are.
I wanted all the other dogs in town to know too. I wanted everyone to know what
a wonderful and thoughtful friend you are. You showed them all, didn't
you? By stopping to help those animals in need you showed that you will
always be willing to help a friend, even at your own expense. That makes you
a very special friend," said Molasses with a grin. "And as for that
stumbling trick, you didn't have me fooled for one second. I know that you
did not really fall, you just let me win the race. That is a true friend."

 

    Speedy blushed down to the tip of her tail, "I guess you caught me
Molasses, you are just too smart for me to fool." The crowd cheered and
everyone lifted Molasses and Speedy up and carried them into the Town
Square, where they had a big celebration.

 

    From that day on Speedy had more friends than she could count. She never had to brag about how fast she was again.

 

The End.
 

Author's Note

I hope to someday publish this series, which now consists of four books. Unfortunately, at this time, the cost of publishing a children's book is cost prohibitive. I would love to know what you think of this.