In the small town of Happyville, there was an annual running competition that was unlike any other. It was called the Smiling Race, and the rules were simple: you had to run a mile without stopping or frowning.
The people of Happyville took this race very seriously. They practiced for months, doing exercises to strengthen their facial muscles and practicing their best smiles.
One year, three competitors stood out above the rest. Their names were Tom, Sally, and Jack, and they were all determined to win the Smiling Race.
The day of the race arrived, and the three competitors lined up at the starting line. They all had huge grins on their faces, and they were ready to go.
The starting gun went off, and they were off. They ran through the streets of Happyville, smiling from ear to ear. But then, something unexpected happened.
Tom sneezed. He tried to cover his nose with his hand, but he accidentally covered his smile instead.
Sally and Jack noticed this and started to giggle. They tried to cover their mouths, but they couldn't stop laughing. This made it even harder to smile, and they started to worry that they would be disqualified.
But then, they had an idea. They decided to make each other laugh on purpose, hoping that it would help them smile.
Sally made a silly face, and Jack started telling jokes. Tom joined in, doing his best impression of a clown.
They ran down the street, laughing and smiling. The other competitors looked at them, confused, but they couldn't help but smile too.
As they neared the finish line, they were all still smiling and laughing. They crossed the line together, holding hands and grinning.
The crowd erupted in applause. They had never seen a race like this before. The three competitors had not only run a mile without stopping, but they had also made everyone else smile too.
The judges announced that there was a tie for first place. Tom, Sally, and Jack were all declared winners of the Smiling Race.
They were all given huge trophies, but they didn't care about the prizes. They were just happy to have made each other and the people of Happyville smile.
From that day on, the Smiling Race became even more popular. More and more people joined each year, all hoping to make each other smile.
And Tom, Sally, and Jack became known as the Smiling Trio. They would often be seen running through the streets of Happyville, still smiling and laughing. And they knew that they had found something special in each other, something that went beyond winning a race.