Snorfle Earns His Chocolate

Snorfle Earns His Chocolate
by
Robin Hall


Snorfle had to admit that he had put on weight. Yes, he was 3. And that is about 22 years, 13 months, 5 weeks, 8 days and 27 hours, more or less, in people years, but who was counting?

No, he didn't have big bones, they were just right. And his jeans were not shrinking either. In fact, he didn't even own a pair of jeans plus they would have looked silly on a pig. Thirty 3 pounds was about 8 too many for our little friend and he knew it.

Now Cary, Jerry, Merry and Red Cherry were fit and trim. After all, they ate right and exercised most days. OK, Red wasn't all that trim, but being healthy and fit were more important. Merry liked him just fine the way he was and called him Mr. Bear sometimes late at night when the kids were asleep, but enough of that.

Snorfle, ate right too. And then some. But Snorfle didn't exercise enough and he was a pig not a bear. So what was he to do? "I will go on a diet," he exclaimed. But Snorfle knew that diets usually didn't work without some exercise, so he thought some more. "Hmmm. I could cut down on pig chow." This was not a good idea either. Pigs need to keep up their strength.

"Oh dear, what will I do?" So he slept on it. Then Snorfle sent out a "call", using his wonderful telepigathy, to his older and more experienced friend Winston. Now Winston was eating at the time. Snorfle's telepigathy had grown very strong these last few months and the "call" startled Winston and he almost choked on some raisins.

"Snorfle, we need to get you back to Cassadega for some lessons on controlling your gifts. How can I help you my young friend?"

"Winston, I am a pig. I have gained all this weight and don't know what to do." "I see," said the older, wiser and fitter Winston. "Tell me what's your favorite food?" Snorfle waffled a bit and said, "Grapes." "Grapes?" said Winston who knew that grapes are indeed good. "Well," said Snorfle, "I do eat a bit of chocolate sometimes."

Winston grinned. "Go on," he said. "I just eat a tiny bit of chocolate though. Today I only had one bag of chocolate chips. Yesterday there was some chocolate cake and ice-cream at the twins party. Friday I had that fudge. Oh my. I'm a chocoholic, and Snorfle started to cry.

Winston told him that it was OK to eat treats sometimes but you mustn't abuse food. "Say, why don't you do like I do? Earn your treats. Only eat a bit of your favorites when you have done some good exercise like walking, trotting or digging for half an hour."
Snorfle thought and thought. "Thanks Winston, I will try that. Bye. I will talk to you later."

The next day when Snorfle woke up he charged into the kitchen to scarf up some of the new chocolate, banana, raisin, plum ice-cream. But a strange thing happened. He stopped and remembered what his friend had said.

"Right. I am in control and will earn my treats." So he did. Snorfle went out for a walk. The first day he was very tired after just walking around the block. The next day he walked a bit farther and by the end of the week he was walking around 3 blocks even though he was puffing some.

Snorfle noticed that he wasn't as hungry for chocolates anymore either and as his hooves toughened up, he could walk faster and farther with every passing day. Every once in a while he would forget and make a break for the chocolate chips, but he was exercising everyday and knew he could have treats because he had earned them.

A fine lesson for pigs and people. And you know what? Snorfle began going out with the family more and more and everyone at 1440 Highridge Rd., in beautiful Lake Swenson stayed fit and healthy because they wanted to.

The End and the Beginning of being fit for life.