The Little Red Hen in the 21st Century

June 29, 2012

The Little Red Hen in the 21^st Century

Once upon a time there was a Little Red Hen.  Now, this Little Red Hen lived on a farm and was friends with a lazy dog, a sleepy cat and a noisy yellow duck. 

The Little Red Hen started every day the same way, making breakfast for the dog the cat, and the duck.    She would call out “ Who will help me make breakfast”?  “Not I” barked the dog, not looking up from watching Sesame Street.  “Not I” purred the cat, staring at a bird outside.  “Not I “ quacked the noisy yellow duck, hardly pausing from Draw Something on his Mac Book.     “Well then,” said the Little Red Hen, “I will do it myself”.  And she did.

When breakfast was ready, the Little Red Hen would ask,  “Who will help me eat this breakfast?”  “I will,” barked the dog.  “I will,” purred the cat.  “I will” quacked the noisy yellow duck. 

One day,  it was time to go to the supermarket and  the Little Red Hen called out to her friends.  “Who will help me go to the supermarket to buy more food to eat?”  “Not I,” barked the lazy dog who was watching Homeward Bound.   “Not I,”  purred the sleepy cat,  also watching the movie with the lazy dog.   “Not I.” quacked the noisy yellow duck, who was very noisy and often interrupted the movie when he became excited.   “Very Well.” Said The Little Red Hen, I will go by myself.    And off she went to the supermarket to buy the groceries. 

Now being that the three animals that lived with The Little Red Hen were feisty eaters, she had to buy a lot of food and it took quite a long time.  Upon returning, The Little Red Hen again called out “Who will help me carry in all these heavy bags of groceries from the car?”  “Not I.” said the lazy dog who was busy playing “Words With Friends” on his new iPhone.  “Not I,”  purred the sleepy cat, balancing on the Wii  board for his Wii fitness routine.  “Not I,”  quacked the noisy yellow duck, busy texting on his Blackberry.  “Very well” said the Little Red Hen, “I will do it myself.”  And she did. 

After the bags were carried into the house, the Little Red Hen once again asked for help putting all the groceries away into the refrigerator and pantry.  Again the responses were the same.  All of her lazy friends were too busy to help. 

Soon, it was time to start dinner.  The Little Red Hen called out  “Who will help me cook the dinner and set the table?”   “Not I” barked the lazy dog, who was now watching the Simpsons.  “Not I” purred the sleepy cat who was taking a catnap as her Wii fitness routine had tired her out.  “Not I” quacked the noisy yellow duck tweeting a response to someone on her Blackberry.  “Very well” said The Little Red Hen, “I will do it myself” and she did.

Once dinner was ready the Little Red Hen, furious that her friends never seemed to be around to help when needed called out “Who will help me eat this fine dinner I have prepared?”   “I will,” barked the lazy dog.  “I will,” purred the sleepy cat.  “I will,” quacked the noisy yellow duck.  And they all raced to the table.  Now, the Little Red Hen was not known for her subtle behavior, was about to lay down the law to her lazy friends.   She left the kitchen sputtering, trying to compose herself, thinking how she would tell her lazy friends that she was through being at their “peck and call”.   Upon her return, her lazy friends had hung balloons and a banner that said “Surprise!”  “Happy Birthday to Our Dear Friend The Little Red Hen”.  In the middle of the table was a big cake with candles already lit and her lazy friends singing the Birthday song.  This more than made up for the way The Little Red Hen had been treated by her lazy friends.  “How thoughtful they are,” mused the Little Red Hen.  “I guess what some of us lack, others make up for.”  The lazy friends apologized for being so lazy and promised they would try to help out more in the future.  “I will try” barked the lazy dog.  “I will try,” purred the sleepy cat.  “I will try” quacked the noisy yellow duck, “to not be so noisy”.   The Little Red Hen promised not to be such a perfectionist and after cake and ice cream, went into the family room for an exciting game of “Catch Phrase” together.