THE LITTLE RED HEN

Once upon a time, there was a little red hen. She lived on a farm. She had three good friends: a lazy dog, a stubborn cat and an arrogant yellow duck. One day, the little red hen found some seeds on the ground.
The little red hen had an idea. She wanted to plant the seeds and make some bread. The little red hen asked her friends, “Can you help me plant my seeds, please?” “Not I,” barked the lazy dog. “I’m very busy.’’ Then he took a nap. “Not I,” purred the stubborn cat. “Not I,” quacked the arrogant duck. “I can plant the seeds,” said the little red hen. So the little red hen planted the seeds all by herself. When the seeds had grown, the little red hen asked her friends, “Can you help me cut the wheat?” “Not I,” barked the lazy dog. “Not I,” purred the stubborn cat. “Not I,” quacked the arrogant duck. So the little red hen cut the wheat all by herself. When all the wheat was ready, the little red hen asked her friends, “Can you help me to take the wheat to the mill to make flour?” but her friends said no again.
And the little red hen carried the heavy bag of wheat to the mill and made flour. When it was time to make bread, of course her friends said no again. So the little red hen made the bread all by herself. It was good bread, soft and warm, and it smelled beautiful. When the bread was finished, the hen got very, very tired.
She asked her friends, “Can you help me eat the bread?” “I can,” barked the lazy dog. “I can,” purred the stubborn cat. “I can,” quacked the arrogant duck. “No!” said the little red hen. “I can. You didn’t help me at all. There’s no bread for you.” And the little red hen ate the bread all by herself.