The Little Red Hen

Once upon a time, a little red hen and her fluffy chicks lived on a farm with a dog, a cat, and a duck. One day, while she was scratching in the yard, she found a few grains of wheat. “Who will help me plant this wheat?” asked the little red hen. “Not I,” said the dog. “Not I,” said the cat. “Not I,” said the duck. “Then I will plant it myself,” said the little red hen, and she did.

The sun shone and the rain fell, and the wheat grew tall and golden. “Who will help me cut this wheat?” asked the little red hen. “Not I,” said the dog, the cat, and the duck. “Then I will cut it myself,” said the little red hen, and she did.

“Who will help me carry this wheat to the mill, so it can be ground into flour?” she asked. “Not I,” said the dog, the cat, and the duck. So the little red hen carried the heavy sack to the mill all by herself. The miller ground the wheat into soft white flour, and she carried it home again.

“Who will help me bake this flour into bread?” asked the little red hen. “Not I,” said the dog, who was taking a nap. “Not I,” said the cat, who was licking her paws. “Not I,” said the duck, who was splashing in the pond. “Then I will bake it myself,” said the little red hen, and she did.

Soon a warm, sweet smell floated across the farmyard. The dog sniffed, the cat sniffed, and the duck sniffed. “Who will help me eat this bread?” asked the little red hen. “I will!” said the dog. “I will!” said the cat. “I will!” said the duck.

“No,” said the little red hen, “you did not help me plant, or cut, or carry, or bake.” “My chicks and I will eat it ourselves,” she said, and they did, down to the very last crumb. The next time the little red hen asked for help, the dog, the cat, and the duck all said, “I will!”