​In a hot, wide desert with red rocks and sunny skies, lived a big, friendly ostrich named Ollie. Ollie had long, powerful legs, big brown feathers, and large, bright eyes. He was known for being the fastest runner in the entire desert.
​Ollie loved to run! He would race across the sandy ground just for the fun of it, feeling the wind rush past his head. However, because he was so fast, he sometimes worried that he wasn’t very useful, as most of his friends were slow, quiet creatures like tortoises and lizards.
​One scorching hot morning, a group of small desert animals—a tiny camel spider, a sleepy lizard, and a shy horned toad—were trapped. A sudden, strong wind had created a small, steep sand dune right in front of the only fresh water spring. They couldn’t climb the shifting sand to reach the water.
​”We are so thirsty!” groaned the lizard. “The dune is too tall and slippery!”
​Ollie saw the problem. He knew his feet and long legs were built for crossing the desert quickly and easily.
​He spoke in a strong, clear voice. “Do not worry! I will use my speed to help you!”
​Ollie didn’t try to climb the dune slowly. Instead, he backed up a distance and took a running start! Run, run, run! He used his long, powerful legs to race up the side of the dune at top speed.
​He ran straight to the top and then, with a skillful burst of speed, he ran across the top, kicking up a huge amount of sand behind him!
​Ollie made this run three times! Each time he kicked, he cleared a path. His powerful running created a stable, clear pathway right through the slippery dune.
​The small animals cheered loudly! They were able to use the clear path to reach the cool water spring and drink their fill.
​”Thank you, Ollie!” chattered the camel spider. “Your running wasn’t just for fun; it was the strongest digging tool we have! You saved us from the heat!”
​Ollie the Ostrich felt the best kind of tired. He realized his incredible speed, which he thought was only a game, was actually his unique gift for clearing paths and overcoming obstacles for his friends. From that day on, he was proud to be the fastest and most helpful runner in the Speedy Sands.