There once was a snail called Gary, 
who carried a shell—big and heavy. 
The shell was coiled, hard, and neat, 
where he used to rest and eat. 

Like all snails, 
he looked shy at first, 
but deep inside, he had a curious thirst. 

Like all snails, 
he was slowest in the race, 
but he never failed to explore any place. 

Gary the snail loved 
living in darkness indeed. 
Why? Because 
daylight made his soft skin dry. 
So, he would hide nearby—
under rocks, and soil, and leaves. 

For him, night was a friend—
a world of wonder. 
Gary the snail would slowly roam, 
finding food and stories to bring back home. 

Excited to make his own fairytale, 
like all snails, 
he learnt to leave his slimy trails. 

Be it food, prey, or the moist air, 
with his two sets of tentacles—
long and clear—
he would look, smell, 
and feel what was near. 

On his way, 
he crawled, crawled, crawled—so slow, 
munching on fallen leaves, 
helping the soil stay rich and grow.

Gary the snail helped nature 
in all the ways he could. 
After all, 
he too was a member 
of the environmental clean-up crew. 

One night, during his usual tour, 
he met a huge birdy, searching for food. 
To the birdy,
Gary was perfect prey. 

But Gary knew 
just what to do. 
He stayed still, 
pretending to have no clue. 

Slowly, he crept into his hard shell,
where he would be hidden well. 
The shell made him look like a rock,
leaving the bird confused and in
shock. 

Disappointed—
with a flap and a flip—
the bird flew away. 
Gary the snail 
stood brave that day. 

Later, he met his friends—
ants, earthworms, and beetles—and
told them the tale 
of his bold adventure. 

After a while, 
he returned to his warm shell, 
wishing all a very good night, 
full of sweet dreams and delight. 

Be it an exciting day or a smooth, slow tour,
Gary the snail crawled—without any fear.