Fearless Freddie
Stories
Lectionary Tales For The Pulpit
62 Stories For Cycle B
Once upon a time there was a boy known as Fearless Freddie. They called him Fearless because he wasn't afraid of anything. He wasn't afraid of the dark. He wasn't afraid of rats or snakes. He wasn't afraid of climbing tall trees. Freddie wasn't even afraid of the big, mean dog in Mrs. Polkinghorn's back yard! Freddie's mother used to say, "Freddie, you be careful! You might get hurt!" But Freddie would say, "Aw, Mom, I won't get hurt. I'm not afraid of anything."
Then one day, while Freddie and some of his friends were walking along the rock quarry a few blocks from the park, a strong wind blew up suddenly and carried his hat over the edge of the quarry. It landed on a narrow ledge about three feet down from the top. "Wait a minute, guys," Freddie said. "I have to go get my hat."
"Aren't you afraid of going down there?" one of his friends asked. "It's a long way to the bottom of the quarry. If you slip, you'll get killed."
"Aw, don't worry," Freddie said. "I'm not afraid of anything."
Freddie climbed over the edge of the quarry, and, without being the least bit careful, lowered himself down to the narrow ledge. He walked several feet along the ledge, and just as he was within reach of the hat, one of his feet slipped and he slid over the edge toward the bottom of the quarry, about sixty feet below. Luckily for Freddie, his jacket sleeve caught on the branch of a bush that was growing in a crevice below the ledge, and he was left dangling, almost in mid-air, held fast by the bush.
"Help! Help!" Freddie cried out. "I'm going to fall. Somebody help me!"
One of Freddie's friends ran to get help. Soon the rescue squad arrived with ropes and ladders. One of the men climbed over the edge of the quarry and tied a rope around Freddie's waist. Then he and the rest of the rescue team hoisted Freddie up to the top. They also retrieved his hat.
As soon as his feet were safely on the ground, Freddie said, "I was very, very scared. Thank you for saving my life."
They never, ever called him Fearless Freddie again.
Then one day, while Freddie and some of his friends were walking along the rock quarry a few blocks from the park, a strong wind blew up suddenly and carried his hat over the edge of the quarry. It landed on a narrow ledge about three feet down from the top. "Wait a minute, guys," Freddie said. "I have to go get my hat."
"Aren't you afraid of going down there?" one of his friends asked. "It's a long way to the bottom of the quarry. If you slip, you'll get killed."
"Aw, don't worry," Freddie said. "I'm not afraid of anything."
Freddie climbed over the edge of the quarry, and, without being the least bit careful, lowered himself down to the narrow ledge. He walked several feet along the ledge, and just as he was within reach of the hat, one of his feet slipped and he slid over the edge toward the bottom of the quarry, about sixty feet below. Luckily for Freddie, his jacket sleeve caught on the branch of a bush that was growing in a crevice below the ledge, and he was left dangling, almost in mid-air, held fast by the bush.
"Help! Help!" Freddie cried out. "I'm going to fall. Somebody help me!"
One of Freddie's friends ran to get help. Soon the rescue squad arrived with ropes and ladders. One of the men climbed over the edge of the quarry and tied a rope around Freddie's waist. Then he and the rest of the rescue team hoisted Freddie up to the top. They also retrieved his hat.
As soon as his feet were safely on the ground, Freddie said, "I was very, very scared. Thank you for saving my life."
They never, ever called him Fearless Freddie again.
