He didn’t know why, but Billy desperately wanted to set up a swimming race for the swans in his village.

He spent all of his pocket money on hiring out the local swimming baths, recruited the strongest seven swans he could find and knitted them all tiny little swimming caps.

When the day finally came, he was so excited.

But when the race started, he was so disappointed.

It turns out the swans reacted poorly to the chlorine level in the water. They all started screaming and attacking each other and eventually every single one of them drowned.

“Guess we’ll call it a draw then,” said Billy, kicking the ground.

© Carl Burkitt 2018