Ziggy the Zebra and the Morning Bell

Ziggy the zebra vows to train every day for the Great Gallop, but by the fourth morning rain has come, the excitement has faded and he waits for inspiration.

Discipline Beat Motivation

In a sunny savanna called Stripewood, there lived a young zebra named Ziggy. Ziggy had one big dream: to win the Great Gallop, the yearly race where the fastest young runners in the whole savanna competed for the Golden Hoof.

When Ziggy first signed up, he was bursting with excitement. "I'm going to train every single day!" he announced. "I'll be the fastest zebra ever!"

On the first morning, he leaped out of bed before sunrise and ran laps around the watering hole until his legs wobbled. On the second morning, he did it again. On the third morning, he told everyone about his training plan, and they cheered.

But on the fourth morning, it rained, and Ziggy didn't feel like running. "I'll wait until I'm feeling inspired again," he said, and rolled over.

Inspiration didn't come the next day, or the day after that. The big excitement had faded like morning mist. Ziggy waited and waited for the feeling to return, spending his days nibbling grass and watching clouds.

Meanwhile, every morning at sunrise, a steady ding, ding, ding rang across the savanna. It was Tula the tortoise, ringing a small brass bell outside her burrow. Then she would set off on her morning walk, slowly, steadily, past the acacia tree and back again.

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Quick answers about Ziggy the Zebra and the Morning Bell

What is Ziggy the Zebra and the Morning Bell about?

Ziggy the zebra vows to train every day for the Great Gallop, but by the fourth morning rain has come, the excitement has faded and he waits for inspiration.

Is Ziggy the Zebra and the Morning Bell 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.