Once upon a time, in a little village nestled by a sparkling river, lived a hardworking Little Red Hen. She had a cozy cottage and a small garden where she grew her vegetables and flowers. Every morning, she’d wake up early, tend to her plants, and sing as she worked. Her favorite part of the day was watching the sunrise while her garden glistened with morning dew.
One sunny day, as Little Red Hen was pulling weeds, she found a mysterious, glowing seed nestled in the dirt. She had never seen a seed so bright! Holding it in her beak, she pondered what sort of plant it might grow into. Curious, she decided to plant it right in the center of her garden.
“Who will help me plant this magical seed?” she asked her friends nearby. The sleepy Cat stretched, the lazy Dog yawned, and the grumpy Goose shook her feathers.
“Not I,” said the Cat.
“Not I,” said the Dog.
“Not I,” grumbled the Goose.
So, Little Red Hen planted the seed herself, patting the earth gently around it. Every day, she watered it, tended it with care, and shielded it from weeds. As days went by, a strange vine began to sprout, twirling and twisting with shiny, rainbow-colored leaves.
To her surprise, one morning, a gigantic, glistening fruit appeared at the top of the vine. It looked like a cross between a pumpkin and a crystal, with a swirl of colors shimmering across its surface.
“Who will help me pick this magical fruit?” Little Red Hen called out.
“Not I,” said the Cat, who was napping in the sun.
“Not I,” said the Dog, who was busy chasing his tail.
“Not I,” mumbled the Goose, waddling away.
With a sigh, Little Red Hen climbed up the twisting vine herself. Carefully, she twisted and pulled, and the magical fruit fell into her wings with a soft thud. It was surprisingly heavy, yet filled with a warmth that made her feathers glow.
As she carried it back to her kitchen, she wondered what she could make. Finally, she decided to bake a magical pie. All afternoon, she worked in her cozy kitchen, mixing the fruit with spices, kneading the dough, and humming to herself. The warm, sweet aroma drifted through the village, waking up her friends from their naps and drawing them to her cottage.
When the pie was ready, she set it on the table, its golden crust sparkling under the sunlight. Her friends gathered around, their eyes wide and their stomachs rumbling.
“Who will help me eat this magical pie?” asked Little Red Hen.
“We will!” said the Cat, Dog, and Goose eagerly.
But Little Red Hen just chuckled, her eyes twinkling with kindness. “Ah, but when I needed help to plant, tend, and pick, you each said, ‘Not I.’ So I shall enjoy this pie myself.”
She took a small slice and sat down, savoring each bite. But just as she finished, the vine in her garden began to shimmer, and small rainbow-colored fruits started to appear all over it.
“Look!” she exclaimed. “There’s enough for everyone if you’ll help pick and bake.”
And this time, the Cat, Dog, and Goose gladly joined in, working together to bake pies, tarts, and muffins from the magical fruits. From that day on, the friends shared their garden’s bounty, learning that a little kindness and teamwork could make even the most magical things even sweeter.
Follow-up Questions:
- Why did Little Red Hen decide to share the magical fruit pie with her friends in the end?
- How did the magical garden change the lives of Little Red Hen and her friends?
- What lesson did the Cat, Dog, and Goose learn from the experience with the magical fruit?
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