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Milo was a sloth of simple pleasures. He enjoyed a good nap, a slow-moving leaf, and the quiet hum of the forest. He did not, however, enjoy anything fast. One afternoon, while lazily inching his way along a branch, he came across a discarded musical instrument. It was a golden, curvy thing with a lot of buttons. A trumpet. Milo had never seen one before, and he carefully held it, his claws curled around the cold metal. He took a nap, the trumpet nestled beside him.

That night, something magical happened. In his dreams, Milo wasn't a slow-moving sloth; he was a fast-moving, tuxedo-wearing musician on a brightly lit stage. He raised the trumpet to his lips and, instead of a slow, sleepy toot, a lively, upbeat, and incredibly jazzy tune came out. The trumpet sang with a life of its own. Milo played a solo so full of twists and turns that the other animal musicians on stage—a squirrel on drums and a rabbit on the double bass—could barely keep up. The dream audience of fireflies and owls cheered wildly.

Milo woke up the next morning feeling strangely energized. He looked at the trumpet. He put it to his lips and blew, but all that came out was a soft, gentle puff of air. "Sigh," he said. He tried again. The trumpet just made a quiet, sleepy little whisper. Milo tucked the trumpet under his chin and took another nap. He was a sloth, after all, and the most important part of the day was always the next nap.

That night, the jazz concert resumed in his dreams. He played a wailing, soulful number. In the morning, he’d wake up, try to play the trumpet, and be met with a sleepy puff. This became Milo's new routine. By day, he was the same quiet, slow-moving sloth. By night, he was a famous jazz musician, known throughout the dream-world for his incredible solos.

One day, a group of birds flew by. "Look!" chirped one. "It's Milo the sloth. They say he’s the slowest creature in the whole forest."

Milo, with his trumpet tucked under his arm, smiled a secret smile. They had no idea that when he closed his eyes, he was the fastest, jazziest creature in all the land.