Saturday, May 12, 2018

2018 Kipling Award Finalist: Vivian Elliott, Oak Grove Elementary School, Erek Tuma, Teacher


How the Lion Got His Courage

Once on the hot scarce blazing  savanna  of Mali, Africa , there was a lion that lived in a small beat up hut under a Socotra dragon tree. Back then lions had big beautiful feathery wings. And this lion, he was a very big coward. I mean he was scared of everything. He was scared of all the other animals. Like Flamingo, Rhino, most Elephants, Hippos, etc. That’s why his Best friend (and only Friend) Elie had to help him find beatles and bugs to eat. The only reason Elie had a nik-name was because nobody wants to be called Elephant.

One day there was a rumor in town that three new animals had arrived. All the animals went to greet them, except Lion. The first one was the fastest of the three he was Cheetah he had unusual splotches all over him with two black lines near his eyes.The second one was Dragon. She was green with a hood like thing around her neck. Then the slowest of them all was Turtle. Wisest, but slowest. Flamingo immediately gave them all a home. She gave Cheetah a small little shady spot under a tree. She gave Dragon a home in the big tree named the baobab tree. And Turtle got a small hut made out of mud and sticks. Elie immediately ran to lion’s house and knocked on his door. Inside she heard a loud scream and running around the house and some flapping of wings. Don’t forget that lion had wings back then.

When Maloo heard the commotion he trumpetied at the top of his lungs and the comotion inside stopped. Then he saw lions eye in the peep hole and Elie said “It is only me, Elie”. Then Lion opened his door to let Elie in. Elie stepped inside and lion closed the door. Then they sat down and talked. “ I wish I would not be scared of everything” said lion. Elie said “ I promise I will find a way to give you some courage”. So Elie stood up and went home to think. The next day lion was on a walk you are probably saying to yourself: I thought he was afraid of everything. Well every week he went on a small walk near his house to try and build a tiny bit courage.(of course it never worked.) And on this very hot morning he hear hoofbeats of antelope coming down the path he quickly flew up into the tree and hid there listening to their conversation. The first antelope said, “Did you hear the news? One of the new three, they call her Dragon really wants to have wings so she can fly.” She said she would trade her courage for wings”. (Do not forget that lion had wings back then) The second antelope said “ That would be a great idea for someone who did not have any courage at all”.(dont forget that Lion was scared of everything) “ Yes we should spread the word.” When lion could see that the two antelope were out of sight.

He hopped out of the tree and flew to Elie’s house. He didn’t even knock he burst through the door and said “ I know a way to get that thing you call courage”. Elie was currently reading a book called “How The Elephant Got His Trunk”. She put down his book and said “how is that?” Lions words came out all at once.

TherewerethesetwodeerthingsandtheysaidlazardcouldgivemecouragebuttheydidnotseemebecauseIwasinatree. Elie said “whow whow slow down I can’t under stand you”.

There were these two deer things and they said Dragon could give me courage but they did not see me because I was hiding in a tree. “Oh” said Elie “Then we should go to Dragons house in the tree, like right now.” They both ran as fast as they could to lizard while Elie reached her trunk up to knock on the door of the treehouse lion hid behind a tree.

When Dragon opened the door and saw what appeared to be a tunnel she hollered down the tunnel and asked “Is anyone in there?” For a second nothing happened then the tunnel moved and she saw Elie sitting there and Elie asked “Who were you talking to?” Dragon blushed and changed the subject. “Why are you here?” Then Lion appeared and Lion said “I have come to trade you my beautiful wings for your courage.” Dragon smiled a Dragon smile and said “Finally!” Lion came a little closer and said “So, can I have it?” “I’m not giving it up that easy” said Dragon. The lion said “I’ll do anything!” “Ok” said Dragon and they talked till they had a bargain. The bargain was that Lion had to do three impossible tasks to get the ingredients. He needed: horn of bull, tooth of snake, and snow from the tippity top of the Saggy snowy Stormy slippery stinky snakefoot Mountain.It just so happens that the king of all snakes lived at the top of the Saggy snowy Stormy slippery stinky snakefoot Mountain.

The next day he started off on his journey alone because that was part of the task. He slinked along the mucky yucky pond. And flew to a tree to wait for a bull to approach the pond for water. He did not have to wait long. There when the sun was at the highest point in the sky, he came. It was the biggest bull he had ever seen he had horns twelve inches long and that bull was mad. So mad that there was steam coming out of his ears. Lion was about to leap out of the tree when he had a idea. There was a low branch near the pond where the branch could easily snag of his horn. He just needed him to go over there.

So Lion leaped out of the tree and scratched the bull on the butt. That bull whizzed around and asked in his very gruff voice “WHAT WAS THAT FOR?” Lion just blew a raspberry and started to trot away. The bull charged and Lion ran towards the branch. Lion ducked under it and about 6 seconds later he heard a yelp and the bulls horn was dangling of the tree. Lion ran toward the branch, grabbed the horn in his mouth, and dashed away. He started his trek up the tippity top of the Saggy snowy Stormy slippery stinky snakefoot Mountain. Where it just so happens that that was where the king of all snakes lived. When he reached the tippity top of the Saggy snowy Stormy slippery stinky snakefoot Mountain he saw the king of all snakes sleeping there with his eyes open!? He tried to sneak around the snake to his mouth but his tail brushed his body and the snake woke up. Lion lunged for the snakes head but the snake grabbed him with his tail and said in a sly voice “What do you think your doing here?” Lion could not breath so he could not answer. But he struggled to get out of the snake’s grasp. Then the snake bit him on his hip before he could inject his poison Lion slipped away he picked up some snow. He carried the snow and the bull's horn gloomily down the mountain because he did not get his snake tooth.

Altho his butox (butt) was unusually sore. When he got to Dragons house he apologized “I am sorry I did not get the snake tooth, but I got the bulls horn and the snow from the tippity top of the Saggy snowy Stormy slippery stinky snakefoot Mountain. The Dragon looked at him and said “What do you mean? You have a huge snake tooth hanging out of your butt.” Lion looked back at hi throbbing buttox and said “Oh, phew I thought I would not get that courage.” Then they both walked to old wise turtle. And Turtle gave Dragon Lions wings but they grew to her size and became all scally.(and thats how dragon got her wings) “Thank you. Oh dear Lion”. Dragon said. “Your welcome.” said Lion. After that Dragon started to walk away! Lion said “Um..Dragon what about my courage?”

Dragon looked back and awkwardly flew over. “Lion you have proven to lots of animals that you have earned your courage. It takes somebody with a pretty courageous heart to get a horn from a bull, tooth of a snake, and snow from the tippity top of the Saggy snowy Stormy slippery stinky snakefoot Mountain. So I think you did not need my courage you just needed a little help finding it in you”.

Lion thanked Dragon And they both went on their ways.

The End


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