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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Illustrate the meaning of “A Bird in the Hand is Worth Two in the Bush” (without using the actual phrase or literal example). (01/10/08)
I peered into the shadowy branches of our apple tree, in search of a juicy golden apple. I saw one apple within my reach, but because it looked a bit less than perfect, I continued my search. At the very top of the tree I spotted just the right one. It was perfect as could be, a ripe, golden, juicy orb just waiting for my teeth to penetrate its skin. I could almost taste the sweetness of its fruit. Then I saw its twin hanging not eight inches from it. My mouth began to water and my stomach began to growl at the thought.

I looked around for something to climb on to reach the apples at the top of the tree. Not seeing anything I could climb on, I decided to try climbing the tree to get to the apples. I got about half way up when the branch I was standing on broke and I fell with a heavy thud. I checked to see if anything was broke, but the only thing broken was the branch. I had only bruised my posterior and my pride from the fall.

Not about to give up I went in search of something to stand on. I looked in the old garden shed, but all I saw were some five-gallon buckets. Hey, maybe it would work to stack them up and reach the top I thought. I carried them all to the apple tree and began stacking them on top of each other. I saw right away that it was not going to work either as I had one problem; how to get on top of the stack. Ok, that wasn’t going to work, so I began to search for another way to get to those apples.

I thought if I could shake the tree hard enough the apples would fall and I could catch them before they hit the ground. So with renewed determination I stepped up to the trunk of the tree and began to shake it. Nothing happened. I took hold of a large branch and shook vigorously. The tree shook a bit, but no apples fell. I continued to shake more branches when all of a sudden I saw an apple heading straight for my head. I reached out my hand and easily caught it. As I carefully looked it over I realized I had just shaken loose the imperfect apple that was within my reach the whole time and the perfect apples both still clung tightly to the top of the tree.

I decided to just settle for the apple in my hand for I was hungry, sore, and tired of trying to get the apples that were perfect yet beyond my reach. As my teeth sank into its juicy flesh I rejoiced that the waiting was over. I had settled for what was within my reach and was rewarded with an excellent treat.
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Member Comments
Member
Date
James Dixon
01/19/08
This was a very good angle and spot on topic. I like the way you resolved the piece at the end. You really captured both halves of the proverb. Write on.

Paragraph 2 was was a little bit confusing- there were so many 'broken', things that I lost track.
LauraLee Shaw
01/21/08
Your MC certainly has persistence. I would have stopped after the first fall. ;) Seriously, though, spot on in showing the message of the proverb and an overall entertaining read.
Yvonne Blake 
01/21/08
Right on topic!
Good description of picking apples.
I was hoping for a little more efforts... and failures... (smile)
Good job. Keep writing.
LINDA GERMAIN 
01/22/08
I was just SURE there would be a worm in the apple. :0) Nicely on topic.