The little red hen

종현이가 좋아하는 이야기 중의 하나...아이들 책이며 비디오에 같은 내용이지만 캐릭터들이 조금씩 다르게 다양한 버전으로 여기저기 많이 끼워져서 소개되고 있을 정도로 유명한(?) 이야기인가 보다.

내용은 쉽고 평이하고 결과도 쉽게 예측된다. 암탉 한 마리가 곡식 씨앗을 주웠는데 씨 뿌리고 거두고 빵을 만들어 먹는 과정에서 다른 동물들에게 도움을 부탁하지만 다른 동물들이 씨 뿌리고 수확하고 밀가루 만드는 과정에서는 도움을 주지 않는다. 그러다 정작 빵이 다 되자 서로 먹겠다고 하나 암탉은 단호하게 거절하고 혼자 다 먹어버린다.


(미국 사람들의 주식 중 하나인) 빵이 어떻게 만들어지는 과정을 자연스럽게 설명하고 있고, 그 과정 속에서 땀 흘리고 수고한 자만이 먹을 수 있다는 교훈을 주는 것 같다. (내 개인생각이니 믿거나 말거나...)

아무튼 아이들에게 쉽게 읽어줄만한 책이다.

다음은 Full story copied from PBSKIDS "Between the Lions" (Accessed on Jul. 28, 2006)
--------------
There once was a little red hen who lived on a farm. The hen's friends were a little black dog, a big orange cat, and a little yellow goose. One day, the red hen found some grains of wheat. "I can make bread from this," thought the red hen.

The little red hen asked, "Who will help me plant the wheat?"

"Not I," said the little black dog.
"Not I," said the big orange cat.
"Not I," said the little yellow goose.

"Then I will do it myself," said the little red hen. And she planted the wheat without any help at all.

The little red hen asked, "Who will help me cut the wheat?"

"Not I," said the little black dog.
"Not I," said the big orange cat.
"Not I," said the little yellow goose.

"Then I will do it myself," said the little red hen. And she cut the wheat without any help at all.

The tired little red hen asked, "Who will help me take the wheat to the mill and grind it into flour?"

"Not I," said the little black dog.
"Not I," said the big orange cat.
"Not I," said the little yellow goose.

"Then I will do it myself," said the tired little red hen. So she took the wheat to the mill and ground it into flour without any help at all.

The very, very tired little red hen asked, "Who will help me bake the bread?"

"Not I," said the little black dog.
"Not I," said the big orange cat.
"Not I," said the little yellow goose.

"Then I will do it myself," said the very, very tired little red hen. And she baked the bread without any help at all.

The hot, fresh bread smelled very good. The little red hen asked, "Now, who will help me eat this bread?"

"I will!" said the little black dog.
"I will!" said the big orange cat.
"I will!" said the little yellow goose.

"No, you won't! I will do it myself!" yelled the little red hen. And she ate the bread without any help at all.