The Little Red Hen
Once upon a time, there was a Little Red Hen who lived on a farm with her friends: a sleepy Dog, a lazy Cat, and a noisy Duck. One morning, while she was scratching in the dirt, she found a tiny grain of wheat. "Look!" she clucked. "Who will help me plant this wheat?"
The Dog yawned. "Not I," he said. The Cat stretched her paws. "Not I," she said. The Duck quacked loudly. "Not I," he said.
The Little Red Hen sighed. "Very well then, I will do it myself." And she did! She dug a hole and tucked the wheat into the dark, cool soil. Soon, the wheat grew tall and golden. "Who will help me cut the wheat?" she asked.
The Dog wagged his tail but stayed in the shade. "Not I," he said. The Cat licked her fur. "Not I," she said. The Duck paddled in the pond. "Not I," he said.
"Very well then," said the Little Red Hen, "I will do it myself." And she did! She cut the wheat, took it to the mill to be ground into flour, and carried the heavy sack all the way home. Finally, it was time to bake. The house began to smell delicious—warm, crusty, and sweet. "Who will help me eat this bread?" the Little Red Hen asked.
"I will!" barked the Dog, jumping up. "I will!" meowed the Cat, running to the table. "I will!" quacked the Duck, flapping his wings.
But the Little Red Hen shook her head. "No," she said firmly. "I planted the wheat, I cut the wheat, and I baked the bread all by myself. Now, I am going to eat it all by myself." And she did! From that day on, the Dog, the Cat, and the Duck learned that if you want to share the bread, you have to help with the work.
