Story - Sam and the Snails

Sam and the Snails

Sam was a small boy who loved to play in his garden on his bike.   He used to try and ride up and down as fast as he could go.   

One day as he was rushing up the garden for the fourth time, he saw something that made him stop.   On the grass was a long line of snails following each other.   I wonder where they are going thought Sam.    He got off his bike and decided he would follow them.   Well snails do not go fast! so Sam did not have much trouble, in fact most of the time he was in front of them.    He had never noticed before how slow snails went.    He had always been used to rushing about and he found it difficult to wait for the snails to move.  

“Come on Snails,” he kept saying.    Then he decided to put a stick on the ground in front of them and have a game with them.    He would see how many times he could ride his bike up and down the garden before the snails reached the stick.     So, Sam put down the stick and jumped on his bike.    “Go!” he shouted and raced away.  The snails crept on whilst Sam raced up and down and he managed to do this seven times before the snails arrived at the stick and Sam was really worn out.    I wonder where they are going thought Sam again as he sat down on the grass to get his breath back.    In front of the snails was Mummy’s vegetable patch with some lovely cabbages in.   

Now Sam did not know snails loved cabbages, so he just sat and watched as they crept nearer and nearer.     The first one arrived as Mummy came out of the house to see just what was keeping Sam so quiet for so long.    

“Sam,” said mummy “what are you doing?”  

“Watching snails,” said Sam “don’t they go slow,” and he told his mummy about the stick and the race up and down the garden.   

“Yes,” said his mummy. “They do go slow but once they get to my cabbages they will speed up and eat them.”   

“Oh! So that’s where they are going,” said Sam.

“Well, they are not going there now!” said mummy and she picked them up.    

“Where are you going to put them?” asked Sam.    He felt quite sorry for them as it had taken them all morning to come across the garden and now mummy had picked them up.     What was she going to do with them?   “Can I keep them?” asked Sam.      “I will look after them, I could give them food so that will save your cabbages. Can I have a box for them please?”   So, mummy went in doors and found a box.    Sam filled it up with dirt, grass and leaves and a dish with water as well.    He kept the snails in a box for quite a few days but one morning when he came out of the house they were gone.  Sam searched the garden but never found his snails. 

“Never mind” said his mummy “you enjoyed them while you had them. I think they will be a lot happier free, as long as they stay away from my cabbages.”    

Now Sam is back to racing up and down the garden on his bike.

© copyright Margaret Barnard 2020

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