Racing the Dinosaur
You must know that many things live in lakes today. There are tiny things you cannot see. There are little plants and animals that you can see if you look very hard. There are fish, bigger plants and animals that you can see easily.
But there are no dinosaurs.
Once upon a time - when dinosaurs roamed the earth - a giant dinosaur came to live in a small lake. It was not just a small dinosaur. It was big. It was huge. It was gigantic.
When the big dinosaur got into the water - it caused a problem. It was just like filling the bathtub all the way and then climbing in. Part of the water ran out.
When the dinosaur took a bite of plants more water splashed out! The dinosaur took up too much room in the small lake.
The little fish were worried. If all the water splashed out they would have no place to live. So they shouted...
"Dinosaur - Dinosaur - You are big, and you can roar. But we don't want you anymore. Please go somewhere else!"
The dinosaur looked around. "Who said that?"
"We did," said the fish.
"Dinosaur - Dinosaur - You are big and you can roar. But we don't want you anymore. Please go somewhere else!"
One small fish said, "You are splashing all of the water out of our small lake. Please go somewhere else to a bigger lake to live."
The dinosaur asked, "Why should I leave? Why don't you go to a bigger lake?"
"You have legs and can walk," said the small fish. "We do not have legs."
The dinosaur thought, but his brain was not very big. Then he said, "I am staying here. When the water is gone - then I will leave and move to a bigger lake.
"When the water is gone, we will be dead," said the small fish. "I have an idea. Let's have a race. You run around the lake one time. I will swim around the edge of the lake. It you win you can stay here, and we will not bother you. If I win, you move to a bigger lake."
"It is a deal," said the big dinosaur. "Let's have a race. The big dinosaur climbed out of the lake.
The little fish knew he could not outrace the big dinosaur. But, little fish swim in schools and going to school makes you smart. Little fish knew the dinosaur's brain was small. He could fool him. Little fish had his friends line up all around the lake where they hid under the water.
Little fish said, "Ready - Set - Go." and dives under the water. The dinosaur began to run. Each step made the earth shake.
The next fish popped its head up. "Here I am," said the fish. "I am beating you!"
The dinosaur ran faster. The next fish popped its head up. "Here I am," said the fish. "I am beating you."
The dinosaur ran faster. The next fish popped its head up. "Here I am, said the fish. "I am beating you."
No matter how fast the dinosaur ran, the fish was always ahead. Finally at the finish line the little fish popped its head up and said, "I win!"
The dinosaur left the small lake and moved to a larger one. The dinosaur decided he liked the bigger lake. He had lots more water to play in and had more plants to eat.
Later, the fish told the dinosaur how they had beaten him. But he did not mind. His brain was small, and he could not understand how they did it. Can you?
*Original Story by Mike Lockett, Copyright 2014. Teachers may read or tell this story freely to ther children. But this story may not be told in paid programs or recorded in any means without permission of the author.