The Little Red Hen
Once upon a time, on a sunny farmyard nestled between rolling hills, there lived a little red hen. She was cheerful, clever, and hardworking. The farm was also home to a lazy dog, a sleepy cat, and a noisy duck. They spent their days lounging in the shade, napping in the sun, or splashing in the pond—anything but working.
One day, as the little red hen pecked around the yard, she found a handful of golden wheat seeds. She held them up and called out, “Look at these seeds! If we plant them, we can grow wheat. Then we can make bread!”
The dog stretched lazily. “Sounds like a lot of work,” he yawned.
The cat flicked her tail. “I’d rather nap,” she said.
The duck quacked, “I’m busy swimming. You do it!”
The little red hen shook her head. “Fine,” she said. “I’ll do it myself.”
And so, the little red hen planted the seeds. She watered them every day and kept the weeds away. Meanwhile, the dog, the cat, and the duck watched from their favorite spots.
Time passed, and the wheat grew tall and golden. The little red hen clapped her wings with joy. “It’s time to harvest the wheat!” she said. She called to her friends, “Who will help me cut the wheat?”
“Not I,” barked the dog.
“Not I,” purred the cat.
“Not I,” quacked the duck.
“Very well,” said the little red hen. “I’ll do it myself.” And she did.
After the wheat was cut, the little red hen carried it to the mill to be ground into flour. On her way back, she called to the others, “Who will help me bake the bread?”
“Not I,” said the dog.
“Not I,” said the cat.
“Not I,” said the duck.
“Then I’ll bake it myself,” said the little red hen. She worked hard, mixing the flour, kneading the dough, and baking it in the oven. Soon, the delicious smell of freshly baked bread filled the air.
The dog sniffed the breeze. “Mmm, that smells good!” he said.
The cat licked her lips. “I love bread!” she purred.
The duck waddled over, quacking, “Can I have some?”
The little red hen looked at them and shook her head. “No,” she said firmly. “I planted the seeds. I watered the wheat. I harvested it. I took it to the mill, and I baked the bread—all by myself. You didn’t help me at all.”
The dog, the cat, and the duck hung their heads in shame.
The little red hen smiled kindly. “I’ll share this bread with you this time, but next time, if you want to eat, you have to help.”
The animals nodded eagerly. “We promise to help next time!” they said.
And so, the little red hen shared the bread. From that day on, whenever there was work to be done, the dog, the cat, and the duck pitched in. They learned that hard work might be tiring, but it feels good to be part of the team—and the reward is always worth it.
And the little red hen? She was happy to have friends she could count on.
The moral of the story is: Hard work and taking responsibility lead to rewards, while laziness has its consequences.