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Winter 01
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Jaqueline P. Banyon
Age 12


Who Can Please the King?

One day Lional the King was getting bored and tired of being serious and working really hard to keep the animal Kingdom from the "other species," so he called the animals who lived in the animal Kingdom to tell them how he felt.

"I want you all to know that I need some good entertaining to make me feel better. I've been working over time for your safety, because I feel it's important. Anyone of you who can please me, I will specially award," said Lional. "Any questions?" he asked.

"Yes," said a deep voice. The deep voice had come from a middle-sized bear named Berry. "What is the reward?" he asked.

"You'll see," said the king suspiciously.

After the meeting Berry and a few friends were discussing how they would entertain the king. His friends' names are Jamie the elephant, Mia the kangaroo, Dorian the cheetah and Markis the laughing Hiena.

Berry is a tricky animal. He knew all of his friends' weaknesses. Markis is afraid of bananas, Mia is scared of worms, Dorian the cheetah is scared of bees, and Jamie the elephant is scared of butterflies.

With that information Berry knew he would win. He knew where a beehive was. His plan was to lure Dorian to it. It was going to be a piece of cake, so the next day he did it, and the day after he brought a bunch of butterflies into the palace so Jamie couldn't go in.

This kept going on until everyone one of his friends gave up. The king had noticed this happening, and he didn't like it so he was planning to give Berry an extra special reward.

The day had come to give Berry his reward and it was…his weakness-a Barbie!

The lesson is to try your way out and not cheat your way out.

 

Jaqueline P. Banyon studies at the after school program of the Frederick Douglass Creative Arts Center of New York City.

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