On a rainy but happy day
It all began on an ordinary Tuesday morning. Tuesdays are advantageous because they feel like Monday afternoons; if you didn't finish your work on Monday or haven't even started, you could always wrap it up on Tuesday.
The rain played a tranquil melody like a gentle percussion on the evergreen bush. With enthusiasm, Harry emerged from his burrow, relishing the rainy ambiance. Wiggling his tentacles happily, he ascended
an evergreen bush twig, quickly navigating its slippery surface. By the time he reached the top, the rain had ceased, and Harry surveyed the surroundings with a twinkle in his eyes.
"Um... ten plus two, minus five... Oh! Math always finds a way to complicate things!" Harry sighed. "I bet teachers created it to ensure kids never enjoy school," he mused, lamenting the inevitable encounter with numbers.
Ten more bushes awaited him on the way to the flowery meadow, followed by two feet of lawn grass to cross before reaching school. Harry did the math every day before heading to school, reassuring himself that today would be the day he'd arrive on time. Navigating from twig to twig, from one bush to another, Harry hummed a cheerful tune, reveling in the joy of the rainy day.
"I am singing in the rain, just sliding in the rain. I feel so alive. Oh, what a happy rainy day!"
Suddenly, a rustle and bouncy steps interrupted his melody. Harry turned to find that dreadful rabbit, Hopsy, approaching.
"Harry, care for a race?" Hopsy teased him, as he did every day on their way to school.
"Go on, Hopsy," Harry sighed, and, as energetically as a snail could manage, he continued.
Hopsy mischievously shook the twig, causing the little snail to lose balance and tumble to the ground.
"Will you ever stop being a bully, Hopsy?" Harry cried. Hopsy chuckled, leaving him on the ground. With a sigh, the snail wiggled his tentacles and continued his way to school. The road was muddy and sticky, and he had to put in double effort to continue. Luckily, one long branch was knocked on the ground by the storm, thus making it a shortcut to the garden. Harry climbed on it, encouraged that this would save him time. But still, the road to school was far too long. He looked at the sky and sighed. “What a misfortune. Why can’t I be like others
- have legs and run fast?”...
A tiny fly passed by and buzzed around him.
“You want to be fast?” she asked. “Guess what? Even the fastest flies get caught by a bird. So, you might have to think twice before asking about something you do not fully understand.” And the fly wandered off. 5
Harry thought briefly about what she said but wasn’t convinced enough. Still, he wanted to be the fastest snail in the world.
A ray of sun tickled his tentacles and made him smile. “Nature always finds its way to make you happy,” he thought and, with ease, continued his way. School was only ten feet away, and he was encouraged.
Harry loved school and spending time with his classmates. He was always kind to everyone, even those who bullied him. In first grade, he even helped Hopsy with math, even though the rabbit wasn’t always good to him. Thanks to the support of his good friendsMolly and Theo, his bad days were tolerable. The trio was inseparable. Since kindergarten, they have liked helping others and always stood up for the truth and those in need. Harry slid down the log and continued to crawl through the muddy lawn.
Accidentally, he collapsed into a deer’s footprints and hardly crawled back out. The sun peaked momentarily through the rainy clouds and lit the rainy drops on the plant’s leaves. They shined in rainbow colors, forming an enchanting bridge to school. He stopped momentarily to gaze at this magical nature’s wonders and smiled. Finally, he made it to the school entrance.
The snail late for school
Upon arriving at school, Harry found it was already lunchtime.
"Look who made it on time for lunch," a familiar voice taunted.
"Leave him alone, Hopsy!" Molly intervened. "If you had taken him with you, he'd be on time," she scolded, her anger evident.
"Yeah, Hopsy. Be a good example if you want to lead," Theo yelled from under a piece of lettuce in support of Molly.
He peeked his head quickly through the small hole he had gnawed to make sure the rabbit had heard him and then looked back under. And then he looked through another hole again and hid again. In this way, he kept peeping through the holes and repeating the same thing.
Finally, the caterpillar got tired and mumbled with his mouth full: “Oh, I'm already dizzy. Does anyone want to continue? Well, what was I saying? Ah, yes!”
She repeated her words once again about how Hopsy was supposed to be a good example.
"Thanks, guys!" Harry expressed gratitude as he enjoyed a bite of fresh lettuce. But he was still sad. Once more, he endured his classmates’ taunts about his countless tardiness.
After lunch, everyone returned to class. They had English class with Mrs. Robinson.
She was always kind and reasonable and prepared Harry’s homework to finish later at the library. Today, she was late to class, and everybody was talking loudly.
"I don’t think it’s fair! Why don’t we come to school
whenever we want and then sit in the library?" Tito the rat, complained. "Just because he is slow doesn’t mean he should have privileges," he argued, glancing at Hopsy. However, Hopsy was too busy to bully his classmate in front of his seat and did not hear what he was saying.
"You guys are always thinking about yourselves! Hopsy could have taken Harry, but you blame him for who he is a slow snail," Molly defended passionately, antennae wiggling, wings opening and shutting in excitement.
"Don’t you think her dots glow whenever she makes a strong statement?" Didi asked Lily.
"She is pretty anyway and so smart and bold..." said Lily, a blue butterfly with stunning, blue-colored wings. Everyone in school taught her she was the prettiest butterfly ever.
"Do you think Molly is prettier than me? I mean, she is a red ladybug, and I am yellow. But yellow is the color of summer and happiness..." Didi pondered, cut off by Mrs. Robinson's gaze.
"Children, please be seated and prepare for class.
I have lots of readings planned for you today," said the teacher, and everyone was silent.
Harry loved English class with Mrs. Robinson. Although he was a slow reader, his mind was always a step ahead.
He loved playing the story in his head and pretended he was the main character.
Today, while reading a poem about the stars, one irrational thought crossed his mind, and he said it out loud: "And I wish time had stopped so I’d never be late for school again..."
He was daydreaming. Luckily, the class was dismissed, and no one heard what he said. Everyone was excited to go home but him. Harry, meandering through the corridor, approached the library to finish his homework. Rain resumed, lightning raptured the sky, and thunders echoed from afar.
Harry me e t s the mole
Harry finished his homework and relaxed. A storm was raging outside, forcing him to spend the night at the library. He wandered through the floor, looking for a place to settle. Behind the science bookshelf, he found a cozy corner and nestled in. The rain tapping on the window created a soothing atmosphere in the silent room. The school was empty, and darkness enveloped the surroundings. Harry fell asleep. Suddenly, a squeaky sound from the floor woke him up. The room was dark, and Harry, who had poor vision since birth, couldn't see anything. He waved his tentacles to orient himself but felt nothing. The floor squeaked again, and Harry asked tremblingly, “Is anyone there?”
The wood carpet whined, and a few tiles broke. Out of the floor hole emerged a mole with a long mustache and sharp nails.
“Mm, I sense someone here tonight. If you are here, answer me,” said the mole.
Harry was stunned and replied, “Aah, noo, there is no one here! You sure are mistaken. Probably it's the wind making all the noises, piping through the windows' cracks.”
"You are too funny. How can you not be here yet answering me? And what are you?" asked the mole.
"I am an invisible snail," replied Harry, crawling to the window where there was light but still unable to see anything.
"And what are you?" It was his turn to ask him.
"Hmm, since you are asking me, you can't see or recognize me either," the mole replied.
The snail waved his tentacles and slowly approached the mole. "And how did you poke through the floor?" he continued to ask. “Oh! I see! Now I know, you must be a mole!” triumphantly exclaimed Harry.
“You are clever. I bet you are a good student,” praised the mole.
Harry was pleased, but still couldn’t understand why the mole had sneaked into the library. He was impressed by the mole's cleverness and felt encouraged to ask him for help with a problem he had been grappling with for a long time.
“You are wise, and I want to ask you something. Do you have any idea how to stop time? I'm late every day for school, and everybody teases me for being slow. So, I want to know if I can control time.” 17
“I have the answer! But it’s up to you to find it yourself. Before deciding, I advise you to talk to the old turtle. She lives in the swamp at the end of the forest and is waiting for you,” said the mole.
Harry was shocked by the mole's response. He waved his tentacles excitedly, wanting to dance. The snail wondered how someone who lived underground knew so much. Maybe that's why the mole came to the library to read. But then he remembered that moles are blind, and before he could ask the mole how he learned all that he knew, the mole had slipped back into its hole.
Harry couldn't wait to doubt it and wanted to leave straight away to head through the forest towards the moor. He had thousands of questions he wanted to ask the wise turtle. Harry felt full of energy. He wanted to fly!
Adventures in the backyard of the school
It was still cloudy and gloomy in the morning, but the rain had eased. The snail wondered which shortcut to take to get out of the library faster. He peeked through the hole the mole had dug. Harry called out to the mole several times, but no one answered. Deciding that the mole was already far away outside the school, he proceeded. Harry considered going through the tunnel the mole had dug, but he wasn't sure where it would take him. And then, one of the windows creaked. The storm had loosened it, and the gap had widened. Rejoicing in his good fortune, the snail energetically crawled up the wall toward him. While he was already sliding down the outer side of the wall outside, the sun began to send its first warm smiles. Harry found himself on the grass in the school's backyard, lost in thought.
The marsh was quite far away and reaching it before sundown seemed unlikely. He urgently needed helpsomeone to carry him there.
The school bell was already ringing, announcing the new day. A sparrow was hopping across the wet meadow, persistently searching for worms, caterpillars, and insects.
Worried, Harry pondered, “What if Theo is in the grass somewhere?” He staggered across the lawn as fast as he could. The snail rolled over on one side, then on the other, but he didn't stop crawling. The idea that his friend might be in danger troubled him incessantly. Spotting movement in the grass, the sparrow swiftly darted toward Harry. The snail hid quickly in its shell. The bird pecked at it several times but was unable to penetrate it. Suddenly, more sparrows swooped in and assembled to peck at the snail. Amidst the commotion, Harry tumbled over and landed in a puddle. The flock of sparrows gave up looking for him and continued digging for worms. Heavy rain during the night had formed a small pond in the meadow, towards which a heron was walking. As she strode wide, she stuck one foot in the puddle where Harry was hiding. The snail stuck to her leg and remained motionless.
Without realizing it, she continued walking towards the pond. But the noise of incoming students startled her, and she flew up. The heron continued to circle over the meadow, approaching Harry's classroom window, zooming in and out. Harry shouted from above.
"Theo, Theo...My friend, where are you? Theooo," he kept calling.
Molly and Theo were getting ready for math class when Theo noticed the heron circling outside. He instinctively hid underneath his desk. Suddenly, he heard Harry's voice. “Oh, it must be from the cabbage I ate last night.
My stomach still hurts, and I hear voices," the caterpillar thought.
"Theo, get out quickly! The class has started." Molly called him loudly.
Theo slowly reached out from underneath the desk. "I heard Harry's voice calling me from afar," he said.
"Harry's not even halfway here yet, and he might as well be stuck somewhere in the mud," Molly replied.
While the two were arguing, the heron suddenly crashed into the window, appearing disoriented. Harry slapped against the glass like a ball of plasticine. Theo shouted in horror: “Harry? Is that you? I thought I was just hearing your voice. What are you doing outside the window? Get to class quickly!”
The whole class laughed at the heron’s unexpected crash into the glass, and everyone jumped out the window. Harry slid down the slippery glass to the ledge.
Amused, Molly circled around the window.
“Quite the entrance you made today, Harry, didn’t you?
Landed like some VIP.” Molly teased, couldn’t stop giggling.
“Friends, I finally discovered who will tell me how to stop time. I must find the turtle at any cost, and it must be today.” Harry quickly recounted his conversation with the mole.
The teacher entered the classroom, and everyone took their seats. Harry waved to his friends and stomped off the ledge onto the grass. Molly and Theo looked at each other in astonishment. They both wondered what was happening with their friend and what he was talking about.
“Harry must have felt dizzy as the heron carried him around. That’s why he was talking nonsense. How does he want to stop time?” Theo whispered to Molly.
But the teacher looked at him sternly, and he refrained from continuing the conversation. Harry’s friends hoped he would attend class soon, but the slug was headed for the bog.
Harry arrive s at the forest and f a ll s asleep
Harry trudged across the wet meadow, eager to reencounter the heron. He attempted to calculate the distance to the marsh in his mind, but his head still spun from the exhilarating flight with the heron, and he abandoned the effort. Suddenly, two long, slender legs appeared before him, almost stepping on him. Startled, Harry retracted his tentacles, curled into his shell, and remained motionless.
The heron bent down and nudged him with its long beak. Just as she opened it wide to swallow him potentially, several Glarus swooped down, screeching, and flapping their wings menacingly. Harry seized the opportunity and clung to the heron's leg again, as he had hoped. She flapped her wide, white wings and soared out of the school's backyard.
Before long, they landed at the edge of the forest, beside a small pond where the heron intended to search for food. Harry released his grip before she entered the water and surveyed his surroundings curiously. He had no idea where he was or which way to go to reach the swamp. Desperately, he crept along the damp ground toward the forest's interior. Autumn had adorned the treetops with vibrant colors, and the ground was carpeted with a mosaic of leaves.
Two squirrels playfully chased a chestnut, crossing Harry’s path repeatedly. Harry enthusiastically waved his tentacle, signaling his desire to communicate with them. Unfortunately, they didn’t notice him and passed by carelessly. Feeling hopeless, Harry continued to crawl aimlessly. As dusk fell, he found himself beneath an old oak tree. He nibbled on a piece of still-green grass and drifted into slumber. He found himself back at school in his dream, moving effortlessly while everyone else remained motionless. In Mrs. Robinson’s class, he read quickly, the others staring at one page without moving their eyes. The school bell rang for lunch, and he realized he had been at school since morning, an unusual occurrence. The canteen buzzed with noise, but his friends Molly and Theo were nowhere to be found. Sitting alone, he felt a
peculiar sensation as everyone around him moved in slow motion. Familiar voices echoed, yet their faces eluded him. "And now, when will it be spring again, and I can hatch my chicks?" he heard his math teacher's voice, unable to see her. Hopsy complained about the never-ending winter and how he won’t be able to find fresh vegetables to eat. He heard Molly’s voice from afar. She was talking to someone, worried about time freezing and how this would prevent her from laying eggs and continue having generation after generation. Theo lamented being a caterpillar for life. Suddenly, drops of water drummed on Harry's shell, and he awoke to the sunshine, melting snow, green grass, and chirping birds. It was spring again, much to Harry's bewilderment. To his surprise, he felt lifted, but his joy was short-lived as a squirrel mistook him for a chestnut, lifting him into a tree.
“Hey, let me go in this instant! I am not food for you!”
Harry cried out in horror.
The squirrel dropped him back into the grass and wagged her tail in displeasure. And as she bustled around him, another squirrel came running up to her.
Both looked at him curiously.
“Um, excuse me, I want to ask you something... Do you know how to get to the swamp? I must talk about something significant with the turtle,” Harry said finally, shaking off his fear.
The red-haired squirrel scoffed, "She hasn't spoken to anyone for years! What do you want to ask her?"
"I want to figure out how to stop time because..." Harry began, but the red-haired squirrel cut him off.
"But how do you want to stop time?" she asked incredulously.
"What is this snail talking about? I am dying of hunger, and the trees won't blossom if the weather stops. We will run out of food, and he wants to stop time for us."
Cried out the black squirrel.
The red-haired squirrel persisted, "It would be good to talk to the turtle.
She knows everything, especially how to get this thought out of your head to stop everyone's time."
The black squirrel agreed, and together with the red one, they raced off for food. Harry waved his tentacle and continued to crawl aimlessly, still hoping to meet the wise turtle.
The Trio finally reunites
Harry hadn’t appeared in class since that Wednesday morning in the fall, after his conversation with Molly and Theo at the window, nor did he show up the next day.
After school every day, his friends searched the backyard for him for a long time, but they couldn't find any trace of the snail. Their worry grew with each passing day.
"Oh, poor Harry. What happened to him? Now, where do we look? What if he's in danger?" Theo was crying. "He must have found a way to get to the swamp. And tomorrow, he will appear at school and talk about his adventures." Molly said confidently.
"What if the heron ate him?" Theo sobbed. Molly also thought that the bird might have eaten him, but she chose not to think the worst.
She was sure Harry would show up at school again soon. November had rolled around, and the harsh winter months were soon upon them. Most of the animals went into hibernation, and the school closed until spring.
After the harsh winter months passed, school resumed.
Theo stirred in his cocoon, warmed by the first rays of the spring sun.
Before long, the cocoon burst open, and he flew free. He had turned into a beautiful Swallowtail butterfly, with long outgrowths protruding from his hind wings, from which he also bore the name of his genus. Theo kept flapping his graceful white wings with many black stripes and headed for the tree where Molly was wintering. He hadn't forgotten about his friend Harry and wanted them to continue looking for him.
However, the ladybug did not recognize him immediately.
"Molly, let's go! Let's not delay any longer. Harry must be on his way to school too," excited Theo spoke to her first.
"Theo! Is that you? Oh, how you have changed! Now everyone at school will say that you are the most beautiful butterfly. Even Lily will admit you are a more beautiful butterfly than her." Molly kept admiring her friend's changed appearance, and they both flew to school.
Harry didn't show up again at school, so they decided to look for him at the bog as soon as the school day was over.
On the way to the swamp, Theo stopped to support himself with nectar from the flowers and Molly with aphids, and before long, they reached the forest.
They both looked around carefully for Harry and took turns calling his name. Suddenly, Molly dropped to the ground, happy to have found Harry. "Harry, my friend! We finally found you!" She shouted excitedly.
In surprise, the ginger squirrel poked her head out from behind a tree, clutching a rotten nut in its paws.
"What's going on with everyone this spring? They just went crazy. Here, now, the ladybug speaks to a chestnut?... And this Harry, whom she mistook for a chestnut, was telling me this morning that he wanted to stop time! There must be something in the air that makes everyone talk nonsense," the red-haired squirrel said as he kept shaking her head and snuggling on the ladybug.
"They need vitamins! That's what grandma used to say, that one should eat a lot of vitamins in springtime," the black squirrel intervened in the conversation.
"Did you say, Harry?" Theo shouted in surprise. "Did you see Harry the snail this morning? And where is he now?”
"I guess he didn't get far. You may catch up with him if you go in the direction against the sun, along the path to the marsh, after three oaks and two chestnuts." The black squirrel gave them directions and darted for a nut before the ginger squirrel could get hold of it.
Delighted at the news, Molly and Theo took off in the indicated way. And before long, they saw Harry crawling down the path. Theo quietly approached and landed on his shell. Molly suddenly appeared before his eyes. Harry stood back and looked at her in bewilderment.
"Molly! Oh, what a surprise! Finally, my friends and I are reunited! I was so sad for you. But where's Theo?"
Harry was so excited that he didn't notice a stick sticking out in front of him, so he slammed his shell into it. Theo flew off his back and landed in front of him. The snail wiggled its tentacles to focus better on the blurry image of the butterfly in front of it.
"Theo! But is that you?" he shouted happily. "My friend! I'm so glad to see you again!” the butterfly said, circling happily around him.
A fateful meeting with the wise turtle
The three friends kept talking, engrossed in conversation as they gradually reached the marsh. They had so much to talk about, for they hadn't seen each other all winter.
It was already evening, and they didn't know if the turtle still lived there or if it would show up soon. They stopped on the shore and waited. A frog stood motionless on a floating, withered tree and reached for Theo with its long tongue. But suddenly, a wave crashed over her. She plunged into the water and opened her eyes to the surface. From the swamp, the head of the old bog turtle slowly reached out. She swam to shore and spoke to them first.
"I see you already found me. And I know what you want to ask me about, Harry. But you already know the answer to your question. The dream you had revealed to you what awaits you if you stop time,” the turtle spoke slowly and monotonously.
"So, there's still a way to stop time?" Harry asked her impatiently.
Molly and Theo stood quietly on a reed and listened raptly.
"In our minds, everything is possible," continued the turtle. "You can dream and even travel in time, and then you completely detach yourself from the reality that surrounds you."
"But I don't want to be late for school anymore. That's why I wanted to find out if I could control the time," Harry interrupted, not entirely understanding what the turtle was talking about.
"Speed is not important; persistence is. Even if you are slower but persistent and go to school every day, you will succeed. Only your perseverance and confidence brought you to me here despite all the obstacles you faced. But you didn't give up! Your hope and faith that you would find me were your guides.
And this is enough for you to achieve all your dreams from now on,” said the wise turtle.
“How did you know that I would come to you and what I would ask you about? Even the mole knew you were waiting for me.”
“Well, other snails have asked me the same question before you. I’ve chatted with the mole about important matters from time to time. Now, if you don’t have anything else to ask me, I’m going to take a nap,” said the old turtle and dived to the bottom of the swamp.
Night fell, and the three friends huddled under a fallen, withered branch to spend the night. Harry couldn’t sleep and pondered the turtle’s words for a long time. Imagine again that you are the fastest snail in the world and always arrive first at school. “And remember that dreams only come true if you believe in them.”
Finally, the turtle’s words came to him, and he fell into a deep sleep.
In the morning, Molly and Theo sought out the two squirrels to ask if they would agree to walk Harry to school so they would all arrive together on time.
“You want us to help that snail who was talking gibberish to stop time? Are you out of your mind?”
muttered the red-haired squirrel while spinning in a circle.
"He already talked to the turtle, and she convinced him that he doesn't need to stop time to get to school on time," Molly said.
"Well, if that's the case, we'll take this know-it-all to school. He sure has a lot to learn," said the ginger squirrel, grabbing Harry and carrying him through the forest.
The black squirrel caught up with her, and the two fought over who would carry the snail. The two squirrels kept throwing and kicking him at each other like a soccer ball.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, popped Hopsy.
"Hey, pass it to me too," he whistled, not immediately recognizing Harry.
The squirrel tossed Harry to the rabbit. Hopsy's eyes widened. Instead of a ball, he held a snail in his paws.
"Harry? What is going on here? Why are these squirrels throwing you around like that?" puzzled the rabbit. Harry barely moved his tentacles, half alive. Little stars swirled before his eyes, and he saw only vague images. Before he knew what was happening, Hopsy had him on his back.
"Guys, from now on, I'll take the baton," said the rabbit to the squirrels and hopped on the way to school. They didn't protest and darted to find food.
The naughty squirrels didn't even say goodbye. Molly and Theo looked surprised. Winter had also brought changes in Hopsy. After a dreadful dream in which he faced ridicule for his slowness and felt incapable of competing, he woke up with a profound realization about how hurtful mocking others can be. He understood that he must treat everyone with respect and consideration, no matter how fast or slow they were, or what they looked like, or if they disagreed with him. He had realized that to be a good leader, he needed to set a positive example. Not long after, the gang arrived at school. The three friends would start the school day together for the first time. Harry shuffled slowly down the hall, happy to be on time, thanks to his new friend- Hopsy the rabbit. Going forward, his days at school were shaping up to be much better and more enjoyable.
Harry staggered slowly down the hall, still dazed from the squirrels' tossing and turning but glad he wasn't late for school. After class, he stayed in the library again. Buried in his books, he drifted into dreams. He vowed that he would realize his dream of becoming the fastest snail in the world at any cost. He even imagined participating in the Olympic Games and winning a gold medal. Because he no longer wanted to stop time, but to keep dreaming, and with faith and hard work to achieve all his dreams.
About the A uthor
Silviya Rankova, born in 1975 in the historic ancient capital of Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria, holds a Master’s degree in Biology from Plovdiv University. In 2005, she and her family emigrated to the United States, settling in Chicago, Illinois, where they currently reside.
In 2019, she ventured into the realm of children’s literature with her debut book, "How Olly Met His New Family". This was followed by several other titles, including "Danny and Olly's Trick or Treat Night", "Cookies for Santa", "Fay the Maple Fairy and The Tree Doctor", "The Very Stubborn Camel", and "The Keeper of the Golden Key". Through her writing, Silviya brings imaginative stories to life, captivating young readers with her creativity and storytelling skills.
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