Isis Tablet

The little monkey wound down his tail,

to a lowly mouse looking as solemn as a snail.

"Why," said the monkey, " do you look so upset,"

Said the mouse, " with a local jaguar I’ve placed a bet. He has organized a race for us in pear tree jungle mall, he had said size didn’t matter even though being a mouse I am  kind of small."

Said monkey," well that was a silly challenge don’t you think, a jaguar can run a race as fast as you can blink."

So monkey came up with a ridiculous plan, the mouse could win the race in a frying pan.

The monkey with pan held tightly in his tail, could catapult the mouse, he was sure not to fail.

" Hang on a minute," said mouse, " isn’t that cheating?" his heart in his chest wildly beating.

" Now don’t get excited, " said monkey, " its only a suggestion, for you mouse I have a serious question."

Mouse looked calmer and put up his ears, the monkey could ruin his chances but could eliminate all his fears.

" They won’t notice me mouse, Ill have us camouflaged behind some bushes. Then up, up in this frying pan you’ll go, with just a couple of pushes.

Are you in little mouse or are you out?" The monkey by now was starting to shout.

"I’ll expect half the winnings mouse, we are a team in this," and the monkey looked hard at him shaking a fist.

"Ok," said mouse, starting to tremble and for the race they did assemble.

Hidden behind the bush jaguar called out, " where art thou mouse, all I can see at the starting line is this here woodlouse!

" I’m very small," cried mouse, " but I’m just over here,"

Luckily jaguar wasn’t paying much attention as a honoring crowd had begun to appear

Then the starting pistol broke the crowds noise and jaguar began to run with poise. Little mouse catapulted by the monkey landed at the finish line in one, jaguar was dumbfounded, for the race had only just begun.

But none the less, jaguar felt defeated and of the winnings he was depleted.

Cheers and surprise arouse in the crowd. Hip Hip Horray! shouted a  dangling monkey swinging in quite proud.

Mouse was crowned fasted in the mall jungle, and with his tail he began to fumble.  He felt so guilty, he needed to tell the truth, he had always been a very honest even in his youth.

Jaguar wasn’t best pleased, but he did understand. He was tired anyway of being fastest in the land.

"Keep the winnings my friend and keep the truth between us, don’t let the jungle gossips make a fuss."

Mouse and jaguar became the best of friends, their little wager had become a means to an ends.