The Little Red Hen

Once there was a little red hen. She lived on a big, green farm. The hen liked to cluck loudly. Cluck, cluck, cluck! She had two friends. A sleepy duck. And a purring cat. The duck liked to quack. Quack, quack, quack! The cat liked to nap. Meow, meow, meow. One sunny morning, the hen found a seed. A tiny, brown seed. She wanted to plant the seed. In the soft, warm dirt. "Who will help me plant this little seed?" asked the hen. The duck flapped his wings. He said, "Not I, little hen!" Quack, quack. The cat stretched his paws. He said, "Not I, little hen!" Meow, meow. The hen shook her head. "Then I will plant it!" She dug a small hole. Dig, dig, dig. She put the seed inside. Gently, gently. She covered the seed with dirt. Pat, pat, pat. The seed was in the ground. Then the hen saw dry dirt. The seed needed water. "Who will help me water this seed?" asked the hen. The duck paddled in the pond. He said, "Not I, little hen!" Quack, quack. The cat licked his fur. He said, "Not I, little hen!" Meow, meow. The hen took her watering can. "Then I will water it!" She poured water carefully. Splash, splash, splash. The little seed drank the water. The sun shone down. The seed grew and grew. It grew a green stem. It grew tall and strong. Look! It was tall, yellow wheat! "Who will help me cut this tall wheat?" asked the hen. The duck shook his head. He said, "Not I, little hen!" Quack, quack. The cat yawned a big yawn. He said, "Not I, little hen!" Meow, meow. The hen found her scissors. "Then I will cut it!" She snipped the wheat stalks. Snip, snip, snip. She gathered all the wheat. A big pile! Now the hen had golden wheat. She wanted to make bread. She needed to grind the wheat. Make flour. "Who will help me grind this wheat?" asked the hen. The duck looked at the sky. He said, "Not I, little hen!" Quack, quack. The cat cleaned his whiskers. He said, "Not I, little hen!" Meow, meow. The hen picked up her stone. "Then I will grind it!" She ground the wheat. Grin-dy, grin-dy, grind. She made white flour. So soft. Now the hen had flour. She wanted to bake bread. "Who will help me bake this yummy bread?" asked the hen. The duck blinked his eyes. He said, "Not I, little hen!" Quack, quack. The cat closed his eyes. He said, "Not I, little hen!" Meow, meow. The hen mixed the flour. "Then I will bake it!" She added water. And made dough. Mix, mix, mix. She shaped the dough. Into a round loaf. She put the loaf in the hot oven. Warm, warm oven. Soon, the oven timer went *ding!* A wonderful smell filled the air. Mmm, mmm, mmm. Out came a big, brown bread! Warm and yummy! The duck smelled the bread. Quack, quack! The cat smelled the bread. Meow, meow! The duck ran to the bread. The cat woke up fast. "Who will help me eat this warm bread?" asked the hen. The duck said, "I will, little hen!" Quack, quack! The cat said, "I will, little hen!" Meow, meow! The hen shook her red comb. "No, no, no!" "You did not help me plant." "You did not help me water." "You did not help me cut." "You did not help me grind." "You did not help me bake." "So I will eat the bread!" The little red hen took a bite. Yum, yum, yum! She ate the warm bread all by herself. The bread was so yummy. The hen was very, very happy.