Too Busy to Hiss

"Ready!" cried Mother Goose.  The goslings stood tall.
"Steady!" she yelled.  The goslings leaned forwards.
"GO!" thundered Mum.  And the goslings all hissed...all except Henry.

"Sorry, Mum," said henry.  "I'm too busy to hiss.  I'm meeting my friend the lamb.  She's teaching me to jump."
"Henry!" called Mum after him.  "Just be on time for your next lesson."

But Henry was late for his next lesson.  And, when he got here, he couldn't concentrate.
"Hisssss!" went Henry's brother.
"One, two, three, four, five, seven, ten," mumbled Henry.  He watched the ducklings carefully as they waddled past.
"Henry!" cried Mum.  "What do you think you're doing?"
"Sorry, Mum," said Henry.  "I'm too busy to hiss.  I'm learning to count."

The next day Henry's brother hissed their hearts out.  But henry just stood to one side and stared.  Then he caught Mum's eye.
"Sorry, Mum," said Henry.  "I'm too busy to hiss.  I'm admiring the view."
"Henry!" bellowed Mum.  "Go and admire the view somewhere else.  I am very cross."
Henry didn't like the look in Mum's eye.  He scuttled off so fast that he bumped bang into some bales of straw.

Henry picked him self up.  But something was wrong.  He could't just see a thin curl of smoke.  It was coming from the straw!
"Help!" thought Henry.  It's a fire!"

Henry didn't hesitate.  He jumped high into the air and gave the loudest hissss ever!
lambs came bleating.  Ducks came quacking.
Mum came beaming.  And the farmer came running.  They all wanted to know what had mad henry hiss.

As soon as he saw the smoke, the farmer fetched his fire extinguisher.
"Swoosh, swoosh, swoooosh!"  He squirted the bales and the danger was over.
"Ready!" cried Mum at bedtime.
"Steady!" cried the goslings.
"Henry is a hero!" they all cheered.
But Henry didn't feel like hero.  He just felt happy...and tired.

(Pustaka:  Farmyard stories for under fives.  Joan Stimson.  Ladybird Books Ltd, London)