WHO IS STRONGEST?
- (age)
- c age
- (f ellow)
- b ellow
- (high)
- s igh ed
- breathes
- bear
- (h ouse)
- m ouse
- (sp eak)
- cr eak
- squ eak
- climbed
- roared
- Tum tol lo
- (ice)
- m ice
- (b ox)
- ox
- (th ink)
- dr ink
- uprooted
- bur rowed
Once upon a time Tumtollo climbed a tree.
The wind blew hard and uprooted the tree.
Tumtollo was thrown to the ground.
“Oh, oh, oh!” he cried with pain, “oh, oh, oh!”
“My, isn’t the tree strong!” cried he; “it can throw Tumtollo to the ground.”
“You are wrong,” creaked the tree. “I am not strong. If I were, could I be uprooted by the wind?”
“Ah, I see,” said Tumtollo, “it is the wind that is strong.
The wind uprooted the tree.
The tree threw Tumtollo to the ground.”
“No, friend, you are wrong,” sighed the wind. “If I were strong, could I be stopped by the hill?”
“Oh, I see now,” said Tumtollo, “it is the hill that is strong.
The hill stopped the wind.
The wind uprooted the tree.
The tree threw Tumtollo to the ground.”
“Wrong again,” said the hill. “I am not strong. If I were, I should not be burrowed by mice.”
“Oh,” said Tumtollo, “then it is the mouse that is strong.
The mouse burrowed the hill.
The hill stopped the wind.
The wind uprooted the tree.
The tree threw Tumtollo to the ground.”
“Still wrong,” squeaked the mouse. “It is not I who am strong. If I were, could the cat catch me?”
“Well, then, it is the cat that is strong,” said Tumtollo.
“The cat caught the mouse.
The mouse burrowed the hill.
The hill stopped the wind.
The wind uprooted the tree.
The tree threw Tumtollo to the ground.”
“No, Tumtollo, I am not strong,” mewed the cat. “If I were, could the dog frighten me?”
“Then it is the dog who is strong,” said Tumtollo.
“The dog frightened the cat.
The cat caught the mouse.
The mouse burrowed the hill.
The hill stopped the wind.
The wind uprooted the tree.
The tree threw Tumtollo to the ground.”
“It is not I who am strong,” barked the dog. “If I were, would the ox hook me with his horns?”
“Then it must be the ox who is strong,” said Tumtollo.
“The ox hooked the dog.
The dog frightened the cat.
The cat caught the mouse.
The mouse burrowed the hill.
The hill stopped the wind.
The wind uprooted the tree.
The tree threw Tumtollo to the ground.”
“No,” bellowed the ox, “I am not strong. If I were, would the bee sting me?”
“Ah, ha! it is the little bee that is strong,” said Tumtollo.
“The bee stung the ox.
The ox hooked the dog.
The dog frightened the cat.
The cat caught the mouse.
The mouse burrowed the hill.
The hill stopped the wind.
The wind uprooted the tree.
The tree threw Tumtollo to the ground.”
“No, no!” buzzed the bee, “it is not I who am strong. If I were, would the bear steal my honey?”
“Indeed, then it is the bear who is strong,” said Tumtollo.
“The bear robbed the bee.
The bee stung the ox.
The ox hooked the dog.
The dog frightened the cat.
The cat caught the mouse.
The mouse burrowed the hill.
The hill stopped the wind.
The wind uprooted the tree.
The tree threw Tumtollo to the ground.”
“You are wrong, Tumtollo,” growled the bear.
“If I were strong, could the lion drive me away from my dinner?”
“Very well, then it is the lion who is strong,” said Tumtollo.
“The lion drove away the bear.
The bear robbed the bee.
The bee stung the ox.
The ox hooked the dog.
The dog frightened the cat.
The cat caught the mouse.
The mouse burrowed the hill.
The hill stopped the wind.
The wind uprooted the tree.
The tree threw Tumtollo to the ground.”
“It is not I who am strong,” roared the lion.
“If I were, could the rope bind me?”
“Just as you say,” said Tumtollo, “then it is the rope that is strong.”
“The rope bound the lion.
The lion drove away the bear.
The bear robbed the bee.
The bee stung the ox.
The ox hooked the dog.
The dog frightened the cat.
The cat caught the mouse.
The mouse burrowed the hill.
The hill stopped the wind.
The wind uprooted the tree.
The tree threw Tumtollo to the ground.”
“It is not I, indeed, that am strong,” said the rope. “If I were, could the fire burn me?”
“Well, well, then the fire must be strong,” said Tumtollo.
“The fire burned the rope.
The rope bound the lion.
The lion drove away the bear.
The bear robbed the bee.
The bee stung the ox.
The ox hooked the dog.
The dog frightened the cat.
The cat caught the mouse.
The mouse burrowed the hill.
The hill stopped the wind.
The wind uprooted the tree.
The tree threw Tumtollo to the ground.”
“No, no, Tumtollo,” snapped the fire, “I am not strong. If I were, could the water put me out?”
“The water it is, then, that is strong,” said Tumtollo.
“The water put out the fire.
The fire burned the rope.
The rope bound the lion.
The lion drove away the bear.
The bear robbed the bee.
The bee stung the ox.
The ox hooked the dog.
The dog frightened the cat.
The cat caught the mouse.
The mouse burrowed the hill.
The hill stopped the wind.
The wind uprooted the tree.
The tree threw Tumtollo to the ground.”
“You are still wrong, Tumtollo,” sang the water in a spring near by. “I am not strong. But I will tell you who is truly strong. It is Man.
Man drinks the water.
Man lights the fire.
Man makes the rope.
Man cages the lion.
Man tames the bear.
Man eats the bee’s honey.
Man drives the ox.
Man keeps the dog.
Man feeds the cat.
Man kills the mouse.
Man digs the hill.
Man breathes the wind.
Man fells the tree.
Man rises when he is thrown to the ground.”
Tumtollo rose, drank deeply from the sweet spring, and went on his way.