Barry is a baker. He makes bread and cakes. Barry is not a runner. He likes to sit and drink tea. But today, Barry is in a running race.

Why? Because his friend, Simon, said, “You cannot run, Barry. You are slow like a sleepy snail.”

Barry did not like this. “I can run!” he said. “I will run in the town race on Saturday.”

Now, Barry is at the park. He is wearing his white baker’s trousers and a big, red number seven on his shirt. All the other runners look very fast. They are stretching their legs. Barry is stretching his arms. He is thinking about cake.

The race starts! Everyone runs very fast. Barry runs… slowly.

After one minute, Barry is very tired. His face is red. He cannot breathe. All the other runners are far away. Barry sees a bench. He wants to sit down. He wants a cup of tea.

But then, he sees Mrs Jenkins. She is his best customer. She buys a cake every day.

“Run, Barry, run!” she shouts.

Barry cannot stop. Mrs Jenkins must not see him fail.

He runs a little more. He sees Mr Evans from the post office.

“Go on, Barry!” Mr Evans shouts.

More people are watching. They are all shouting his name. “Barry! Barry! Barry!”

Barry is confused. Why are they shouting for him? He is last!

He runs past the bakery. His assistant, Lucy, is outside. She holds a big cake. The cake is in the shape of a running shoe.

Barry is very tired, but he is also happy. All his friends are here.

He turns the last corner. He can see the finish line. The other runners are already there. They are drinking water and looking at him.

Barry uses all his energy. He runs as fast as he can. It is not very fast, but he runs. The people are shouting and laughing. Barry is laughing too. This is silly!

He crosses the finish line. He is last. Very, very last.

But then, something surprising happens. Everyone starts to clap. The Mayor gives him a special medal. It says, “Number One in Spirit.”

Barry is very proud. That evening, he eats the running shoe cake with his friends.

Simon says, “You were right, Barry. You can run. But you are still very, very slow.”

Barry laughs. “I know,” he says. “But it is more fun to bake. Does anyone want more cake?”

Everyone says, “Yes, please!”

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Vocabulary Notes

Baker (Noun)
Meaning: A person whose job is to make and sell bread, cakes, etc.
Example: “Barry is a baker. He makes bread and cakes.”
Similar Words:
Chef: A professional cook, usually in a restaurant. (A baker is a type of specialist chef).
Baker is the specific and correct word for someone who makes bread and cakes.

Race (Noun/Verb)
Meaning: (As a noun) A competition between people, animals, or vehicles to see which is the fastest. (As a verb) To take part in a race.
Example: “But today, Barry is in a running race.” (Noun) / “He will race on Saturday.” (Verb – implied)
Similar Words:
Competition: A more general word for an event where people try to win.
Contest: Another general word for a competition. A race is a specific type of contest to see who is fastest.
Marathon: A very long running race.

Stretch (Verb)
Meaning: To put your arms, legs, or body out to its full length, to make your muscles ready for exercise.
Example: “They are stretching their legs. Barry is stretching his arms.”
Similar Words:
Warm up: The general activity of preparing for exercise, which includes stretching.
Extend: To make something longer or larger. (You can extend your arm, which is similar to stretching it).

Confused (Adjective)
Meaning: Unable to think clearly or to understand what is happening or being said.
Example: “Barry is confused. Why are they shouting for him? He is last!”
Similar Words:
Puzzled: Very similar to confused, meaning you cannot understand something.
Bewildered: A stronger word meaning very confused and unsure.

Finish Line (Noun)
Meaning: The line that marks the end of a race. The winner is the first person or thing to cross this line.
Example: “He can see the finish line. The other runners are already there.”
Similar Words:
End: The general word for where something stops. The finish line is the specific end of a race.
Start Line: The opposite of the finish line; it is where the race begins.

Story written by DeepSeek AI.

Image created by 1min.ai.

CC Music: Drifting at 432 Hz – Unicorn Heads.

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