Once upon a time, there was a man named Sam. He lived in a small village with his pet cat named Mittens. Sam was known for always wearing a funny hat. One day, while walking in the forest, Sam stumbled upon a big can lying on the ground. He picked it up and heard strange noises coming from inside.

When he opened the can, a mischievous rat popped out and scampered away. Sam chased after the rat, but it was too fast. The cat Mittens joined in the chase and together they finally caught the rat. But the rat wouldn’t give up so easily. It challenged Sam to a race, and whoever wins gets to keep the can.

So the race began, with the rat running as fast as it could and Sam and Mittens following closely behind. The rat leaped over logs, ducked under branches, and even slid down a hill on a mat. But Sam and Mittens were determined to win the race and catch the rat.

Finally, they reached the finish line, but the rat was nowhere to be found. Suddenly, they heard a loud “thump” coming from a nearby tree. They looked up and saw the rat sitting on a branch, holding a bat. The rat had cheated and used the bat to fly to the finish line!

But Sam and Mittens didn’t give up. They used their wit and came up with a plan. Sam put on his hat and started juggling the can, mat, and bat. The rat was so mesmerized by the juggling that it forgot to fly away. Mittens pounced and caught the rat, and Sam won the race.

From that day on, Sam and Mittens were known as the cleverest duo in the village. And the rat, well, it became their loyal companion and helped them in all their adventures.

Reflections

1. Who won the race and why?
2. Why did the rat use a bat to fly to the finish line?
3. How did Sam and Mittens catch the rat?
4. What did the rat become after the race?
5. What made Sam and Mittens famous in their village?