The morning sun shone brightly as Lulu sat on a blade of grass on her school’s sports field. Today was athletics day at Insect Primary. Lulu felt very excited. She was taking part in the high jump. “Fleas can jump very high!” she shouted as she jumped onto a stone, then a twig and then onto the branch of a nearby tree. Lulu looked down from the tree and saw the other insects getting ready for the day’s events. The insects all felt confident because they had been practising hard to get ready for today.

Grasshopper stretched his back legs. “My legs are very strong. I think I’ll do well in the long jump today,” he said. “I think I’ll win my race,” said Cockroach as she ate a last bit of pancake and wiped her mouth on her wing. Dragonfly, Mosquito, Bee and Fly flapped their wings as they argued about who would be able to fly the highest. “The high fly is a very special event,” said Dragonfly.

“Not all insects have wings, but those of us who do, can fly very high. I think I’ll win the trophy today.” Dung Beetle knew he would be able to push the ball the furthest with his strong back legs. Ant knew her team would win the relay race because they had been practising to pass the stick for months. And Butterfly knew she would be able to fly over all the obstacles in the steeplechase.

Lulu felt confident too. “I will jump the highest today,” she said. “Zara thinks she can beat me, but I’m going to win the trophy!” And with that Lulu gave an enormous jump from the tree branch and landed … on something furry. “Where am I?” Lulu cried in confusion. Lulu had been daydreaming and had not seen Monkey climbing up the tree trunk. Now she was stuck in his fur! Then Lulu heard Miss Ladybird announce, “Good morning, good morning. Welcome to all the athletes, their families and our spectators! Get ready because we are about to start. Could all the athletes gather in the middle of the field, please.” Lulu could hear the noisy spectators laughing, clapping and flapping.

Little did Lulu and the crowd know that there were frogs hiding under the tree’s leaves that had fallen to the ground. They were just waiting for the right time to jump out and start feasting on all the delicious insects! In the meantime, Lulu tried to wiggle her way out of Monkey’s fur, but that seemed to make things worse. Then she shouted as loudly as she could, “Help! Help! Someone please help me!”” But no one could hear her tiny voice over the noisy insects.

Then Lulu heard Miss Ladybird say, “The girls’ high jump will start soon. Can everybody who wants to take part, please go to the high jump point.” “Oh no,” shouted Lulu. “I’m going to miss my event!” She tried to push her way through Monkey’s fur, but it was too thick. Lulu started crying. She had practised so hard for this day and now she wouldn’t have a chance to compete. After a while, Lulu heard Miss Ladybird say, “The girls’ high jump is going well. This is Zara’s last jump. The bar is very high. Let’s see if she makes it.” That’s when Lulu remembered her mom’s words, “Even when things seem hopeless, you can always make a plan, Lulu.” So Lulu came up with a very good plan. “I’m a flea,” she told herself. “I can bite. When I bite, it will itch and itch.” And so that’s exactly what Lulu did – she bit Monkey as many times as she could. “Whaaaaa!” shouted Monkey. “Something bit me! It is so itchy.”

He scratched the itch so hard that he scratched Lulu right out of his fur, and she went flying through the air. “Wheeeee!” shouted Lulu as she flew right over the high jump bar! Zara could not believe her eyes. “Where did you come from, Lulu?” she asked surprised. Before Lulu could answer, Monkey lost his balance and fell out of the tree. He landed on the frogs who got such a fright that they hopped left and right to get away. The wasps swarmed around the other insects to protect them from being eaten. Then they chased all the frogs away. Because of the chaos, everyone thought that Lulu had won the high jump, but Lulu spoke up, “No, I didn’t jump. Monkey made me fly over the bar. Zara won the high jump.”

Miss Ladybird handed the trophy to Zara. “Congratulations, Zara, we are proud of you,” she said. Then she turned to Lulu. “We are also proud of you, Lulu. You were honest and made sure that Zara got the trophy. You also saved us from those awful frogs! I think you deserve a trophy too.” Then she handed Lulu a trophy for being honest and brave. Everyone clapped, and Zara gave Lulu a big hug. At the end of the day, all the insects agreed that this was definitely the most eventful athletics day they had ever attended!

Get story active! 

•   Make a list of all the insects in the story. (HINT: There are 12 insects.) 
•   Draw an insect that you like and write LIKE underneath the drawing.   
• Now draw an insect that you don’t like and write DISLIKE underneath the drawing.
•  Choose any insect. Use clay, Prestik or playdough to make a model of that insect.