Hailey Hen was tending her garden when Gertrude Goose stopped by.
“Come see my garden,” she said.
“What did you grow?” Hailey asked. “Tulips? Carrots perhaps?”
“No, light bulbs,” Gertrude answered.
Hailey laughed. “Light bulbs! That’s just silly!”
“No really, come see.”
The two friends entered Gertrude’s garden. Sure enough, Hailey saw rows of light bulbs of all different shapes, sizes, and colors sticking out of the ground.
“See, told you,” Gertrude said. “What do you think?”
Hailey’s eyes opened wide. “N-nice g-garden.”
“Help me pick them,” Gertrude said.
The two friends spent the morning picking light bulbs from the garden. Then Hailey headed home, scratching her head all the way.
A few weeks later, as Hailey was tending her garden, Gertrude stopped by.
“Come see my garden,” she said.
“What did you grow?” Hailey asked. “Roses? Tomatoes perhaps?”
“No, silverware,” Gertrude answered.
Hailey laughed. “Silverware! That’s just silly!”
“No really, come see.”
The two friends entered Gertrude’s garden. Sure enough, Hailey saw rows of forks, knives, and spoons sticking out of the ground.
“See, told you,” Gertrude said. “What do you think?”
Hailey’s eyes opened wide. “N-nice g-garden.”
“Help me pick them,” Gertrude said.
The two friends spent the morning picking silverware from the garden. As they worked, Hailey asked, “By the way, where did you get the idea to grow silverware?”
“Why, Wally Weasel told me to how to do it,” Gertrude answered. “He’s going to show me how to grow shoes next.”
Wily Wally Weasel! Hailey thought. I should have known!
For the next week, Hailey kept watch over Gertrude’s garden. Finally, on Friday night, she spotted Wally Weasel, Freddy Fox, and Gary Goat sneaking through the garden.
She jumped from the shadows. “Aha, I caught you! You should be ashamed of yourself playing tricks on Gertrude like that!”
Wally hung his head. “We were just having fun.”
“You know how gullible she can be,” Hailey explained. “Tomorrow you will set things right.”
In the morning, Hailey, Wally, Freddy, and Gary knocked on Gertrude’s door. The three pranksters explained the tricks they had played. Gertrude was heartbroken.
“I just wanted a nice garden like you, Hailey.”
“We’ll help you plant one,” Hailey assured her, then stared at the others. “Won’t we?” They all nodded.
The five friends spent the day planting seeds in Gertrude’s garden. Hailey showed Gertrude how to water and weed her garden.
A few weeks later, Hailey was busy tending her garden when Gertrude stopped by.
“Come see my garden,” she said.
Hailey laughed. “I would be delighted.”
The two friends entered Gertrude’s garden. Hailey stared at the rows of giant sunflowers.
“What do you think?” Gertrude asked.
“They’re beautiful, Gertrude,” Hailey answered.
Gertrude plucked a sunflower from the dirt. Then she headed toward the house.
“Where are you going with that one?” Hailey asked.
“This one’s going in my basement,” Gertrude answered. “It’s pretty dark down there, and sunflowers give off sunlight you know.”
