And Shasta would pout in the corner while watching them.

So then he embarked on a journey to the center of the earth (or Narnia, actually) to find a certain worm that knew how to make one run faster than bipolar chickens.

Then when he finally found the worm he asked the question everyone who had looked for it had asked, "Why do I want to run faster than a bipolar chicken again?"

Then, the worm said, (the worm was a Calormene) "O my slower-than-a-bipolar-chicken son, you must learn to catch sardines. That always helps in such matters."

"Why do I need to catch sardines now?" Asked Shasta.

"They're quite slippery. It helps the reflexes and hand-eye coordination to catch them, not to mention when they become overgrown fish and start chasing you," the worm said, very seriously.

"Oh. OK," said Shasta, who had no reason to doubt the worm.

So then Shasta went and tried to catch sardines. The worm was right, too. Not to mention the overgrown sardines that started chasing him.....

He screamed like a girl when they did, but he wouldn't have admitted.

So THEN he entered the overgrown sardines in a race against the chicken.

And they lost!

Shasta at first was confuzzled at the news because they could have meant either side of the race.

Then he found out that they meant everyone except the sardines.

In turn, Shasta did a Tigger-dance when he heard the news.

The chicken pouted.