In a warm garden by a pond, there lived a little turtle named Tina. She loved to wander the paths between flowers and watch the butterflies.
One morning, Squirrel Rusty jumped onto a branch and shouted, “Today is the big race! Whoever gets to the old oak tree first wins a medal!”
Tina sighed. She thought she was too slow for races. But she really wanted to see the old oak tree—wonderful mushrooms grew there.
“I’ll just walk for myself,” she decided.
At the starting line, Squirrel Rusty, Rabbit Hoppy, and Hedgehog Prickly gathered. They were all fast and cheerful.
“One, two, three—go!” cried Magpie.
Squirrel Rusty dashed through the branches. Rabbit Hoppy bounded into the tall grass. Hedgehog Prickly rolled into a ball and zoomed ahead. And Tina just walked along the path, slowly and steadily.
Soon, Squirrel Rusty spotted some nuts on the ground. “Oh, how lovely! I’ll gather them quick and then go!” She gathered and gathered—and lost the path.
Rabbit Hoppy hopped so fast he didn’t see a fork in the road. He ran the wrong way, into a thick bush. It took him ages to get out.
Hedgehog Prickly rolled along merrily, but he rolled right into a soft puddle. He had to climb out, wash off, and dry up.
But Tina kept walking along the path. She didn’t hurry. She looked at the daisies. She stopped for a drink of water. And then she kept going, step by step.
The path led straight to the old oak tree. Tina never lost her way. She never forgot where she was going. She just walked.
And suddenly—there it was! The old oak tree, big and spreading, with mushrooms at its roots.
Tina came up to the tree and smiled. She had never seen such a beautiful oak.
In a moment, Squirrel Rusty arrived, all covered in leaves. Then Rabbit Hoppy hopped out, with burrs on his ears. Last came Hedgehog Prickly, still damp.
“How did you do it?” asked Squirrel Rusty, amazed.
Magpie flew down and hung a little acorn medal around Tina’s neck. “You came first!”
Tina smiled. The medal was warm from the sun. The mushrooms under the oak were truly wonderful.
She lay down in the cool shade and closed her eyes. It was so peaceful and nice.
Squirrel Rusty, Rabbit Hoppy, and Hedgehog Prickly sat beside her. They rested too, after their long journey.
The breeze rustled the leaves. The day was quiet and bright.