One day, in a hot, hot jungle, there was a cheetah lazing about in the trees. Around him were so many other animals, bringing life to the jungle all around him. All the animals in the jungle knew the cheetah very well, for he went by the name of Speedy Chester. His real name was just Chester, but he got the name Speedy Chester because he was the fastest animal in the jungle, but he was also the biggest boaster in the jungle, being the least humble and always bragging about how he is better than everyone because he is faster than everyone. On this day, Chester became bored very quickly. He went running around the jungle, jumping from tree to tree, challenging each and every animal that he saw. The way he asked was very rude, for he said, “I bet there is no animal in this jungle that could surpass my speed, for I am the best creature in the jungle, the fastest creature in the jungle, the most amazing creature in the jungle! If anyone wishes to object, just race me and prove me wrong!” While he jumped around the jungle crazily, a wise old tortoise came out from his resting spot near the lake at the base of the jungle. The old tortoise, named Winslow, told Chester of his arrogance and how it will affect him in the long run. “Your confidence is well placed, but you lack the respect deserved by everyone. We all are part of a family in this jungle, all working together to make this community grow and prosper. Your disrupting noise and jumping around puts everyone on edge and it will be your downfall.” Chester puffed his chest out, and pranced around, shouting “Shut up old turtle, you just want to say that because you are too old to do anything about me, and even if you were young, you still wouldn’t be able to do anything, because you are just too slow!” Having heard this, the old tortoise became enraged, but calmly addressed Chester and stated, “I know of someone who could beat you, though you may not know him because you were too busy prancing around and acting wild to notice that we have a new comer. Please, introduce yourself Mr. Sid.” Chester began looking around the crowd that had begun to form, and saw no one step forward. He sneered at Winslow, and shouted, “You liar, you tried to intimidate me by lying, and you failed. Now, you look like a fool!” Winslow smiled slyly and said, “Do not worry Chester, he is coming. He isn’t exactly as fast as you are, though he is much wiser than you, young cat.” Chester sneered even more, and looked around the crowd again, this time spotting a sloth, loafing through the crowd and making his way towards Chester. Chester saw Sid, and then burst out laughing, shouting, “You want me to race him? He couldn’t even make it up to me when I called out for him! You really think that he could beat me? Don’t make such silly jokes old turtle!” The sloth, finally saying something, said “Then you have no worries about racing me then? I haven’t raced anyone in a very long time, and I would love to experience the thrill yet again.” Chester looked down at the sloth, and said “Fine, and if I win, I will have the official title of being the best creature in this jungle, and all those who stand in front of me must bow to my awesomeness.” “And if you lose?” said Sid. “I won’t lose” sneered Chester. “We will use the route that I always use, the one I always win with.” But, then Winslow stepped up to him and said, “Well, since he is a new comer, let’s make things a little easier for him to find his place around, and we could give you a new challenge that you could face to truly prove that you are indeed the best in the jungle. The race, instead of being on the ground from one side of the jungle to the other, will be from the bottom of the jungle to the top! If you reject, everyone will know you are a coward and have a fear of heights, and do not deserve the title of the best in the jungle.” Chester, boasting as much as he could, said “Fine, let’s do this!” The race stared, and not even after 5 minutes, Chester was already half way through the height of the jungle, and Sid was just 10 feet above the ground. Chester, being as rushed as he was, did not notice the branches growing smaller and smaller, and weaker and weaker. He rushed by the branches so fast, that when he almost reached the canopy, the branch he had jumped on broke from under him and he went falling, falling, falling down to the hard ground. He landed with a thud, and did not get up. Winslow slowly walked over to him, and Sid climbed back down. Winslow looked at the dead and broken body of Chester, and said “Looks like he did lose, being as uncontrolled as he was, this had to be expected.”

The overall message and lesson that should be learned is “Patience, Control, and Respect. The three keys in life that open the doors to wisdom and happiness.”