The big race

Once upon a time, in a faraway land, there was a big race that happened every year. It was a tradition that had been going on for generations, and everyone in the village looked forward to it with great excitement.

The race started at the edge of the village and went through the forest, over the hills, and ended at the riverbank. The runners had to run for miles, and the person who reached the finish line first was declared the winner.

This year, there were many participants in the race, and everyone was eager to win. Among the runners were two best friends, Jack and Tom. They had trained hard for months and were determined to win the race.

As soon as the race started, the runners set off at a brisk pace. Jack and Tom were among the top runners, and they were neck to neck throughout the race. They both knew that whoever made a mistake would lose, and so they were careful not to make any.

As they approached the riverbank, Tom suddenly stumbled on a rock and fell. Jack, who was just behind him, felt a pang of guilt and stopped to help him up. But Tom insisted that Jack should continue without him and win the race.

Jack hesitated for a moment but then decided to continue. He ran as fast as he could, and soon he was in the lead. The other runners were far behind, and it seemed like he was going to win the race.

But as he approached the finish line, he heard someone calling his name. It was Tom, who had somehow managed to catch up with him. He had limped all the way to the finish line, and he was now just a few steps behind Jack.

Jack could have easily won the race, but he stopped and waited for Tom to catch up. Together, they crossed the finish line, and the crowd cheered for them. It was a tie, and both of them were declared the winners of the race. The two friends hugged each other, and Jack said, "I couldn't have won without you, Tom. We are both winners."

From that day on, everyone in the village remembered the race not just as a competition but as a story of friendship and sportsmanship.