One day, Monty's mum rushed into Monty's bedroom. "Wake up, Monty" she said. "Rise and shine! Time to go to school. You'd better hurry - it's late."

"Yes, Mum. Oooh, yippee! Today is the school sports' day and I'm going to win a medal!" Monty beamed.

Monty got ready for school in the blink of an eye and gobbled up all his breakfast.

When Monty got to school, there was a hubbub in the classroom. All the other animals were thrilled because it was sports' day.

"Snort!" Winky the wart-hog grunted, "I'm going to win the mud fight."

Sam the seal chuckled.  "I..I..I'm go..go..going to w..w..win the b..ball balancing co...co...competition," she stuttered smugly.

Fanny the fish felt confident. "I'm going to win the swimming race," she giggled. "None of you swims as well as I do!"

Monty grinned. "I'm going to win the running race. 

I can run as fast as lightning," he boasted.

Miss Chicken, the teacher, rang the bell. 

    Ding-a-ling-a-ling!

"Time for the running race", she clucked. "Everyone line up along the starting post!"

Monty dashed to the starting line. He was jittery and impatient for the race to begin. 

But nobody else had shown up.

"On your marks," clucked the teacher. "Get set..."

"Wait for me!" bellowed Tommy the tortoise. 

"Come on, Tommy. Stop dawdling," groaned Monty. 

"On your marks," chirped Miss Chicken. "Get set...! 

"Wait for me!" yowled Pinky the panther.

"Slink over here, quick!" yelled Monty.

"On your marks," clucked the teacher. "Get set..."

"Wait for me!" wailed Jerry the giraffe.

"Leg it over here, quick!" bawled Monty, exasperated.

"On your marks," clucked the teacher. "Get set..."