The Goats in the Garden
It was Johnny's job to watch the family's goats. He helped milk the goats each morning. He followed the goats up the hillside where they ate grass all day. He followed the goats back home and helped milk them each night.
Usually the goats behaved very well. But, one day, the gate to grandmother's garden was open. The goats ran into the garden. They began eating the tops off grandmother's turnips.
"This will not do," said Johnny. He chased the goats. But the goats would not leave. Johnny shouted, “Out of the garden. Out of the garden. Out, Out, Out!”
But the goats just said, “Naaah!” They would not leave. Johnny sat down and began to cry.
Just then a rabbit came down the road. "Why are you crying?" asked the rabbit.
"I am crying because the goats are in grandmother's garden. I cannot get them out."
"I will get the goats out of the garden," said the rabbit. The rabbit chased the goats around inside the garden. The rabbit shouted, “Out of the garden, Out of the garden, Out, Out, Out!”
But the goats just said, “Naaah!” They would not leave. The rabbit sat down next to Johnny and began to cry.
Just then a fox came down the road. "Why are you crying?" asked the fox.
"I am crying because Johnny is crying, and Johnny is crying because the goats are in grandmother's garden, and I cannot get them out."
"Stay right there," said the fox. "I will chase the goats out of the garden." The fox chased the goats around inside the garden. The fox shouted, “Out of the garden, Out of the garden, Out, Out, Out!”
But the goats just said, “Naaah!” They would not leave. The fox sat down next to Johnny and began to cry.
Just then a dog came down the road. "Why are you crying?" asked the dog.
"I am crying because rabbit is crying, said the fox, "Rabbit is crying because Johnny is crying. Johnny is crying because the goats are in his grandmother's garden. He cannot get them out."
"Stay right there," said the dog. "I will chase the goats out of the garden." The dog chased the goats around inside the garden. The dog shouted, “Out of the garden, Out of the garden, Out, Out, Out!”
But the goats just said, “Naaah!” They would not leave. The dog sat down next to Johnny and began to cry.
Just then a bear came down the road. "Why are you crying?" asked the bear.
"We are crying because Johnny is crying, said the dog, the fox and the rabbit, and Johnny is crying because the goats are in his grandmother's garden. We cannot get them out."
"Stay right there," said the bear. "I will chase the goats out of the garden."
The bear chased the goats around inside the garden. The bear shouted, “Out of the garden, Out of the garden, Out, Out, Out!” But the goats just said, “Naaah!” They would not leave. The bear sat down next to Johnny and began to cry.
Just then a bee came down the road. "Why are you crying?" asked the bee?"
"We are crying because Johnny is crying, and Johnny is crying because the goats are in his grandmother's garden. We cannot get them out."
"Stay right there," said the bee. "I will chase the goats out of the garden."
"You?" questioned the bear. "You are so little. If rabbit, fox, fog and Johnny and I cannot get the goats out of the garden, how can you get them out?"
"Just watch me," said the bee. Bee flew into the garden and into the ear of the biggest goat. The goat shook his head and tried to shake out the Bee. The bee flew into the goat's other ear. Finally the goat ran out through the garden gate.
The bee then flew into the ear of the second goat. It flew in one ear and the other until the second goat ran out of the garden gate. The little bee did the same with the third goat. When all three goats were out of the garden, Johnny shut the garden gate.
"Thank you little bee," said Johnny. Then he ran up the hill to watch the goats as he did every day. As the bee flew away, everyone wondered how a little bee could do what they could not.