Usborne Young Reading: The Little Red Hen

Once upon a time, there was a little red hen. She lived on a farm in a little white hen house with a bright red roof. The little red hen had three best friends. "Good morning, black cat." "Meeeow!" A glossy black cat who lived in the farmhouse. A big noisy duck who lived on the pond. "Good morning, noisy duck." "Quack!" And a fat brown rat who lived in the barn. "Good morning, brown rat." "Squeak!" One morning, the little red hen walked to the field. She was looking for juicy worms to eat. She went scratch, scratch, scratch with her small sharp toes and she found some grains of wheat. "Ooh!"she cried. She fluffed her feathers. "Cluck, cluck, click! Who will help me plant the wheat?" "Not I,"said the cat. "Not I,"said the duck. "Not I,"said the rat. "Fine!"said the little red hen, "Then I'll do it myself." And she did. The little red hen pecked at the ground and made a hole. One by one, she dropped the grains in. The little red hen waited for her wheat to grow all through the winter. First, the shoots were small and green. By spring, the shoots were tall and strong. In summer, they turned from green to gold. At last, the wheat was ready. "Who will help me cut it down?"said the little red hen. "Not I,"said the cat. "Not I,"said the duck. "Not I,"said the rat. "Fine!"said the little red hen, "Then I'll cut it down myself." And she did. She cut down the wheat without any help at all. "Who will help me take the wheat to the mill?"said the little red hen. "I want to grind it into flour." "Not I,"said the cat. "Not I,"said the duck. "Not I,"said the rat. "Fine!"said the little red hen, "Then I'll take it to the mill myself." And she did. She took the wheat to the mill and ground it into flour, without any help at all. "Who will help me make the flour into bread?"said the little red hen. "Not I,"said the cat. "Not I,"said the duck. "Not I,"said the rat. "Fine!"said the little red hen, "Then I'll make it myself." And she did. She baked the bread without any help at all. "Who will help me eat the bread?"said the little red hen. The cat, the duck and the rat jumped up. "Mmm,"they said, as they smelled the bread. The bread was warm and soft. "I'll eat the bread,"said the cat. "I'll eat the bread,"said the duck. "I'll eat the bread,"said the rat. "Oh no you won't!"said the little red hen. "I'll eat it ALL BY MYSELF!" And she did.