Once upon a time, the animals decided they must do something heroic to meet the problems of a "new
world." So they organized a school.

They adopted an activity curriculum consisting of running, climbing, swimming, and flying. To make it
easier to administer the curriculum, all the animals took all the subjects.

The duck was excellent in swimming. In fact better than his instructor. But he made only passing grades in flying and was very poor in running.

Since he was slow in running, he had to stay after school and also drop swimming in order to practice
running.

This was kept up until his webbed feet were badly worn and he was only average in swimming. But
average was acceptable in school so nobody worried about that except the duck.

The rabbit started at the top of the class in running, but had a nervous breakdown because of so much
make-up work in swimming.

The squirrel was excellent in climbing until he developed frustration in the flying class where his teacher
made him start from the ground up instead of the tree top down. He also developed a "charlie horse" from overexertion and then got a C in climbing and a D in running.

The eagle was a problem child and was disciplined severely. In the climbing class he beat all the others to the top of the tree but insisted of using his own way to get there.

At the end of the year, an abnormal eel that could swim exceedingly well, and also run, climb, and fly a
little had the highest average and was valedictorian.

The prairie dogs stayed out of school and fought the tax levy because the administration would not add
digging and burrowing to the curriculum.

They apprenticed their children to a badger and later joined the ground hogs and gophers to start a
successful private school.

Does this fable have a moral?