The Writer's Forum

On a hill by a stream in a land of sweets and cake, lived a curly-whirly snail whose name was Jake.

His very best friend was a slug called Nancy who lived next door in a pink French Fancy.

The sun shone down on a lovely summer’s day. Jake said to Nancy, “Let’s go out and play.”

Mrs Snail warned them, “Now don’t get into trouble. If there’s any sign of danger come back home on the double.”

By the Battenberg Road they found Fred the boggle-eyed frog, who was building a cabin with some heavy chocolate logs.

“Hello Nancy and Jake!” he said. “Would you help me please? I’ve been lifting logs all day and I’ve got terribly sore knees.”

“Can you start with that one? It’s been difficult to shift.” Jake and Nancy said, “Of course we can! Ready, one – two – three – LIFT!”

The moment the log moved Jake realised their mistake. From the hollowed out inside slid a horrid Gobbling Snake!

He was long and red and scaly with great big pointy fangs, used for spearing jam sponge puddings and gooey white meringues.

Upon the reptile’s face was a look of utter glee. He licked his lips, then grinned and hissed, “Finally, I’m free!”

“Uh-oh, what have we done?” said Nancy looking glum. Jake replied, terrified, “What will I tell my mum?”

Off into the distance slid the enormous scaly beast, seeking out some tasty treats upon which he could feast.

He gobbled chocolate finger fences. He gobbled gigantic Swiss roll trees. He gobbled marshmallow clouds floating by on the breeze.

“Hurry!” shouted Fred. “We have to follow its trail.” And off he hopped along the road carrying the slug and the snail.

At the Lemonade Lake, the snake paused to quench his thirst; slurping and burping and bloated, almost fit to burst.

“Oh blimey!” wailed Jake. “We have to make him stop! He’s draining the lake dry of all the fizzy pop!”

Fred the boggle-eyed frog had a plan to save the day. He hopped up Currant Bun Mountain as the lemonade drained away.

Scaling the mountain path he croaked, “This will give him a shock!” And at the top, taking careful aim, he dropped a currant bun rock.

The rock sped towards the earth, landing with a mighty splat. “Ha – missed!” the snake hissed, “You’ll have to do better than that.”

Then off he zigzagged once again gobbling everything in his sight, savouring each mouthful with obvious delight.

He gobbled fondant-icing flowers. He gobbled puddles of multicoloured jellies. He even gobbled Mr Caterpillar’s lovely fruit gum wellies!

Still he ploughed on, guzzling anything in his way. “He’s heading for my house!” cried out Nancy in dismay.

Fred and Jake were scared, but not as scared as Nancy, as sure enough the snake bore down on her pretty pink French Fancy.

Mouth wide open, fangs at the ready, he was all set to take a bite, when from next door popped Mrs Snail to give him a dreadful fright!

“Get away you awful brute,” she yelled, “or I’ll bop you on the head.” The snake stopped (not wanting to be bopped) then turned around and fled.

Jake and Nancy started crying – Fred was sobbing too. “Oh mummy,” said Jake, “the snake escaped and we didn’t know what to do.”

“Dry your tears,” said Mrs Snail, “you didn’t mean to set him free. Now we have to stop him before he starts gobbling his tea!”

“I’ve got it!” said Jake. “Come on and follow me. We need to take the snake to the toffee apple trees.”

And so they all raced off to the orchard and Jake called out to his foe, “Hey snake! Bet you can’t scoff as fast as us. Bet you’re really slow.”

The snake was a silly creature and was overcome with greed. He chased Jake into the orchard at super breakneck speed.

Then Jake and his friends dashed about, giving each tree a mighty shake, and all the shiny toffee apples fell towards the waiting snake.

He whizzed backwards, he whizzed forward, he whizzed up and he whizzed down, gobbling up the sticky fruit that had fallen to the ground.

He got quicker and quicker and quicker, showing off his incredible power, and set a new world record for scoffing toffee apples in an hour!

But after hundreds of chomps of fruit, the beast began to slow, exactly what was happening, he really didn’t know.

Whatever was going on, he was running out of pace, and as he struggled onwards he wore a frown upon his face.

“What have you done to me?” he moaned. “Is this some sort of silly trick? Why can’t I whiz so fast anymore? You’ve stopped me going quick.”

Another minute later and he finally ran out of steam. Jake and Fred and Nancy all began to beam.

“Ha. Look at him“ squealed Jake. “What a silly clot!” The snake had whizzed around the trees so fast he had tied himself in knots!

“Hooray!” cheered Nancy and Fred’s eyes boggled, “we stopped the Gobbling Snake.” “Well done!” said Mrs Snail. “Now let’s celebrate!”

So with the whole land safe from danger, they threw a party that ran all night – and they didn’t get to bed until it started getting light!

Now as for the snake, he later found a job (and a certain amount of fame), hiring out his knotty, twisted body as a giant climbing frame.

Oh, and he never ate sugary treats again – he had terrible tummy ache! Well, could you eat anything else after so many sweets and cakes?!

-- THE END --