Paca+and+Beetle

= Paca and Beetle = Emma C. One day, Beetle was crawling along the side of a river. "Hello little friend," said Parrot. He had beautiful feathers that were many different colors that he wore proudly. Beetle replied and said, "Hello Parrot! I am going to go on a long journey." Paca was running by and heard Beetle say this. He came to a stop and laughed at the Beetle. "You are going to go on a journey? You will never be able to get there. It will take your whole life and you still might not arrive wherever you are trying to go," said Paca. "The only way you could get there is if you had strong, sturdy legs like me. I can run anywhere!" "I will be able to get where I want to go. I just have to try hard and keep a steady pace," Beetle said. Paca didn't believe this and challenged Beetle to a race. Surely he would win! Parrot decided that the winner would get a brand new coat. Paca thought he would look great in a new coat. He would also be able to brag about it and tell the story about his race against Beetle. He was so confident in winning. "Ready set go!" yelled Parrot. Paca dashed off alongside the riverbank. He was about halfway when he realized something. "I don't have to run as fast as I can! Beetle isn't even close to me! It will take him ages to catch up." Paca thought. He walked at his own pace to the end. He walked across the finished line. "So, where is my jacket?" Paca asked Parrot. Then he looked down and was shocked. Beetle was wearing a new jacket! It looked just like the feathers of Parrot. "How are you already here?" asked Paca. "You are so slow. Your tiny legs are to small to come all this way so quickly. The only way you could've done it is by cheating!" Paca was so upset and confused. He couldn't believe that Beetle was already there. "How did you do it?" he asked. "I flew," said the Beetle. "I can fly you know. Most beetles can. We don't like to brag about our wings though. It is not cheating by doing something you didn't know that I could do." Paca was so surprised that he couldn't say anything. "Then it's settled!" shouted Parrot happily. Paca walked away upset that he had lost to the tiny beetle. This just shows that there are more to some people than you think. Don't underestimate someone just because they are small or slow. Paca did this to Beetle and he learned this lesson.

** Mouse and Beetle ** One morning a colorful parrot watched a small beetle crawl along the river bank.
 * Karsen O.**

"Good morning," squawked the parrot. "And where are you headed little beetle?"

"I'm on a long journey," replied the beetle

Just then a mouse ran by, the fast mouse dashed in circles around the beetle and laughed. "You are going on a journey? You crawl so slow that it will take you, your entire life to reach you destination!" said the mouse

"If you could move as I do, swift and fast, you would be more likely to accomplish something, just look how fast I can run," said the mouse dashing around the beetle at top speed "You will never get anywhere with your shape and size, you are two small, to slow, and couldn't even crawl around the river without dying first!" mocked the mouse

The beetle ignored the mouse and his insulting words, so he just kept walking along.

The parrot looked down at the two and said

"Mouse, your words are boastful, but not totally true. the beetle is slow but he can get to where he wants to be just not as fast as you." said the parrot "you two should have a race, perhaps around the river bend to the tall tree, I will give the winner a prize, how about a coat for the winter," said the parrot

"Surly with my speed I would definitely win! I would choose a fine yellow and orange coat with black spots like a jaguar, because I can run at top speed" said the mouse

"I agree to doing the race, and if I win I want a coat just like your feathers, my wise parrot friend," said the beetle

"Very well, go as fast as you can!" said the parrot

The mouse dashed off as fast as he could along the river bank. Suddenly he stopped and thought, why rush? The beetle won't be here for hours! So he just sat down and stared at the sky thinking of his new coat. After a while he got up and ran to the end of the race then a little voice said

"What took you so long my fast little friend" asked the beetle

The mouse's eyes grew wide at the sight of the little beetle wearing a colorful coat.

"How, how did you get here so fast?" asked the mouse

"I flew" replied the beetle

"What! You flew?" asked the mouse "I didn’t know you could fly! You cheated!"

The parrot interrupted, "beetle didn’t cheat, I told you both to go as fast as you could, you were unaware of the beetle's talent, and it doesn't mean that he shouldn't have flown to win, the beetle doesn't brag about flying, he keeps his wings folded and he uses them only when necessary" said the parrot

The mouse grumbled and went away without a coat.

Meanwhile the beetles back began to shine many colors just like the parrots’ and he was warm and cozy during winter.