Tilda the Tortoise and the Great Meadow Run

Everybody expects Flint the hare to win the Great Meadow Run again, and hardly anyone mentions Tilda, the tortoise entering the race for the first time.

A race where the slowest runner wins because she stopped to help someone

In a green valley called Clover Crossing, the animals held a race every spring. It was called the Great Meadow Run, and it was the biggest event of the year. The course wound from the old stone gate, through the buttercup fields, over the wobbly log bridge, up Thimble Hill, and down to the finish line beside the pond, where the winner received the Golden Acorn.

Everyone had a favorite to win.

"Flint the hare will win again," said the rabbits. "Nobody's faster."

"Not this year," said the foxes. "Ember has been training since winter."

And hardly anyone said a word about Tilda, the little tortoise, who was entering for the very first time.

Tilda was small, with a mossy green shell and a quiet, kind smile. She knew perfectly well she was the slowest creature in the valley.

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Quick answers about Tilda the Tortoise and the Great Meadow Run

What is Tilda the Tortoise and the Great Meadow Run about?

Everybody expects Flint the hare to win the Great Meadow Run again, and hardly anyone mentions Tilda, the tortoise entering the race for the first time.

Is Tilda the Tortoise and the Great Meadow Run free to read?

Yes. Every story on RapidTale is free to read in the browser, with no sign-up and nothing to install.

How long does it take to read?

This story runs 1 chapter — most readers finish in one sitting, and you can stop and return to any chapter using the contents list.

Who wrote it?

Nimra Khan — original fiction published on RapidTale.