Usborne Young Reading: The King's Pudding

Little Deer lived in a dangerous jungle. One morning, he went to the river to drink. Suddenly, something caught his eye. "Tiger!"gasped Little Deer. "Breakfast!"growled Tiger. Little Deer looked around quickly. "Oh no, I can't possibly be your breakfast,"he said. "I'm guarding the King's pudding." "The King's pudding?"asked Tiger. Little Deer pointed to a brownish cake on the ground. "It's the most delicious thing you ever tasted." "No one else is allowed to go near it." "You mean I can't even try it?"asked Tiger. "Oh no,"said Little Deer."The King would be furious." "You could pretend you didn't see me,"said Tiger. "I know!"said Little Deer. "I could pretend you chased me away." And Little Deer ran away, as fast as he could. Tiger closed his eyes and licked the pudding. It was just a heap of mud. "Little Deer, wait until I catch you!"he growled. But Little Deer was safe, far, far away. In the middle of the day, Little Deer went to the river to drink. Suddenly, something caught his eye. "Tiger!"gasped Little Deer. "Lunch!"growled Tiger. Little Deer looked around. "Oh no, I can't possibly be your lunch. I'm guarding the King's belt." "The King's belt?"asked Tiger. Little Deer pointed to a bright loop hanging over a branch. "No one else is allowed to go near it." "You mean I can't even try it?"asked Tiger. "Oh no,"said Little Deer."The King would be furious." "The King won't know,"said Tiger. "I won't tell." "But someone else might see"said Little Deer. "Let's pretend you chased me away." And Little Deer ran away, as fast as he could. Tiger draped the belt around his waist. He pulled it tight. The belt hissed. It was a snake, a very angry snake. "Little Deer, wait until I catch you!"he growled. But Little Deer was safe, far, far away. That evening, Little Deer went to the river to drink. Suddenly, something caught his eye. "Tiger!"gasped Little Deer. "Dinner!"growled Tiger. Little Deer looked around. "Oh no, I can't possibly be your dinner. I'm guarding the King's drum." "The King's drum?"asked Tiger. Little Deer pointed to a dark shape hanging from a tree. "It's the finest drum in the land!." "No one else is allowed to touch it." "You mean I can't even tap it?"asked Tiger. "Oh no,"said Little Deer."The King would be furious." "You could say you didn't see me,"said Tiger. "That's no good,"said Little Deer. "I need to be far, far away, so I can't even hear you." And Little Deer ran away, as fast as he could. Tiger patted the shape. Wasps poured out of their nest, buzzing angrily. They sting poor Tiger again and again. "Little Deer!"roared Tiger. "I give up! My mouth is full of mud. My tummy is full of snake bites and my paws are full of wasp stings. I promise I will never try to eat you again!" Far, far away, Little Deer heard Tiger's roar and smiled.