Once there was a hardworking hen who found some wheat seeds. She asked the other farmyard animals, "Who will help me plant these seeds?"

"Not I," said the cat. "I want to lie in the sun."
"Not I," said the dog. "I want to dig in the ground."
"Not I," said the pig. "I want to roll in the mud."

So the little red hen planted the seeds herself. When the wheat had grown, she asked, "Who will help me harvest the wheat?"

Again, none of the animals would help. The same happened when she needed to take the wheat to the mill and when she was ready to bake bread from the flour. She asked the other farm animals to help, and all made an excuse for not helping her.

Each time, the little red hen did the work alone. But when the warm, fresh bread was ready and its delicious smell wafted across the farmyard, all the animals came running.

"Who will help me eat this bread?" asked the hen.

"I will!" said the cat.
"I will!" said the dog.
"I will!" said the pig.

"No," said the little red hen. "Since you didn't help me plant the wheat, harvest it, mill it, or bake it, I will eat it myself." And she did, sharing it with her chicks who had watched and learned from her example.