Mike Litwin - The Amazing IncrediBull

The Amazing IncrediBull

written and illustrated by

Mike Litwin

ALBERT WHITMAN & COMPANY

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

CONTENTS

An IncrediBull Guess

The world can be full of heroes, even in a peaceful paradise like Bermooda. Sometimes a hero is just a simple creature with a good heart. Sometimes a hero is just someone who shows up in the right place at the right time. And sometimes the hero has no idea who they are or what they are doing.

Chuck and Dakota Porter wouldnt really call themselves heroes. Chuck was just a little calf with a big thirst for excitement. Dakota was just a human boy who wanted a quiet life with his adopted new family. Together, they always seemed to find adventure on this tiny tropical island, no matter how calm things appeared to be on the surface. Today, however, Chuck and Dakota were sitting in one place on Bermooda that was not calm: Leathernecks Grill.

Leatherneck was a big hulk of a bull with a jolly voice, a gold ring in his nose, and a bold red shirt that was big enough to use as a blanket. His outdoor caf sat at the edge of Bermooda Village, and it was always a popular place for calves to feast on grilled pineapple or slurp down fresh mango juice. But today his place was even busier than usual, with excited calves swarming around his bamboo counter like hungry ants on a drop of tropical cane sugar. Today, at exactly noon, Leatherneck would announce the winner of his IncrediBull Guessing Contest.

Leatherneck had started the contest to sell his new drink, the Avocadoberry Smoothie Punch. At the beginning of the month, he had filled a big jar with avocado seeds and placed it on the counter. Any time someone bought one of his new smoothies, they were allowed to guess how many seeds were in the jar by writing down their number on a big yellow ticket and putting it in a box. At the end of the month, whoever had the closest guess would win the chance to meet Norman Redmanethe creator of every calfs favorite superhero, IncrediBull.

Chuck and Dakota Porter sat at the table closest to the guessing jar. Chuck was a huge fan of IncrediBull, and a chance to meet the artist would be like a dream come true. He had tried all kinds of ideas to find the closest guess. He had used math equations. He had weighed the jar. He had even surveyed other cows to see how many seeds they thought were in there. Today he was busily crumbling up leaves into little balls the same size as avocado seeds and dropping them into a wicker basket about the same size as the guessing jar. His tail twitched as he counted each ball, convinced this was one of his best ideas ever.

Do you know how many smoothie punches youve bought this month? Dakota asked as he sipped on Chucks drink. Chuck wanted to put as many tickets as he could in the box, so he had bought Avocadoberry Smoothie Punches all month long.

Nope, Chuck said without taking his eyes off his work. I lost count.

Over six dozen! Dakota said, answering his own question.

Chuck paid little attention to Dakota. Noon was coming fast, and he wasnt finished counting all his fake avocado seeds yet.

Is it really worth all this effort? Dakota asked between slurps.

Chucks tail stopped twitching. He froze mid-count and looked up. Of course its worth it! he said. Norman Redmane isnt just any artist. Hes the creator of IncrediBull! He pointed to the picture behind Leathernecks guessing jar. It was a drawing of a red bull in a bright yellow superhero costume. He wore a masked hood with a long cape, and his chest sported a logo in the shape of a cow head with a lightning bolt in it. The fiery supercow was swinging a fisted hoof into the air, and from his mouth came a word bubble that read: Leathernecks Smooooothies give me a PUNCH!

Yeah, I know. Dakota sighed. I just dont see the big deal with IncrediBull. I mean, look at that ridiculous costume! It doesnt exactly look like something youd find on Bermooda.

Neither do you, Chuck reminded Dakota. And his costume isnt any more ridiculous than yours.

Dakota couldnt help but agree. After all, he was the only human to have ever been on Bermooda. The walking, talking animals that lived on the island all seemed to agree that humans were legendary monsters that had died out years ago. When Chuck first found Dakota washed up on a sandbar, hed disguised Dakota in cowmouflagea cow costume stitched together from blankets, sponges, and coconut shells. To keep panic from gripping the island, Dakota had continued to wear the ugly disguise ever since.

All right, little partners! Leathernecks cheerful voice boomed. Thirty seconds until noon! Twenty-nine! Twenty-eight!

Wait! Chuck cried, quickly turning back to his basket. Im not finished yet! But in his hurry to finish counting, he accidentally knocked over the basket and scattered leaves everywhere.

Oh noooooo! Chuck mooed. He got down on all fours and grabbed frantically at the wadded leaves, which were already starting to swirl away in the swift midday breeze. Quick! Stall him! Get him to stop the countdown!

What do you want me to do? Dakota asked. Stop time?

Twenty-three twenty-two twenty-one Leatherneck counted down.

Fifty-five! Fifty-six! Fifty-seven! Chuck called out, trying to keep count of the escaping leaves. Fifty-seven! Wait, did I already say fifty-seven? Grab that one! Fifty-seven! I meanfifty-eight plus those five is sixty-four No, waitsixty-three! What happened to the other four that were right here?

Leatherneck reached his final countdown. Ten nine eight

Gahhh! Ninety-two! Eighty-seven! Eleventy-three! Chuck blurted out random numbers in a panic.

Oh, for crying out loud! Dakota snapped. Give me that! He plucked the yellow ticket out of Chucks shirt pocket, wrote down a number, and dropped it in the box just as the countdown ended.

Calves crowded around the guessing jar. Chuck eagerly chewed on his own hoof as Leatherneck counted out the seeds in the jar and then slowly flipped through the yellow tickets in the box. There were a lot of guesses, and it felt like the judging took forever.

And the winner is Leatherneck finally announced, Dakota Porter, with the exact guess of seventy-four! Seventy-four, right on da NOSE! Leatherneck poked the squishy sponge nose covering Dakotas face.

Chuck stared at Dakota in disbelief as all the losing calves lumbered away, grumbling slightly. He stood with his mouth hanging open as the last of his precious leaves blew away from around his hooves.

Seventy-four? Chuck asked. I spent all month trying to figure out the right number, and you win it just by guessing? What made you think of seventy-four?

Dakota scratched his head and shrugged as he pawed the ground with his fake hoof. Thats the number of smoothies you bought this month, he said.

Norman

Chuck and Dakota sat down the next morning for one of Mama Porters famous breakfasts of pineapples, crushed oats, and coconut yogurt before heading out for their visit with the famous artist. Dakota didnt care as much about the contest as Chuck did, of course. So hed given his prize-winning ticket to his brother. After all, Chuck was IncrediBulls biggest fan. But even though the ticket was only for one, Chuck insisted that Dakota come along. Chuck was sure that Norman Redmane wouldnt mind an extra visitor. Their little sister Patty begged to come too, but Chuck was afraid that two extra guests might be pushing it.

This is awesome! Chuck squealed as they began their walk to Norman Redmanes studio. Thanks for the ticket!