This is a modern-English version of The Little Red Hen: An Old English Folk Tale, originally written by unknown author(s). It has been thoroughly updated, including changes to sentence structure, words, spelling, and grammar—to ensure clarity for contemporary readers, while preserving the original spirit and nuance. If you click on a paragraph, you will see the original text that we modified, and you can toggle between the two versions.

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THE LITTLE RED HEN

An Old English Folk Tale

Retold and Illustrated

by

FLORENCE WHITE WILLIAMS

The
Saalfield Publishing Company
Chicago - Akron, Ohio - New York

The
Saalfield Publishing
Chicago - Akron, OH - New York

PRINTED IN U. S. A.

PRINTED IN THE U.S.

The Little Red Hen

Little Red Hen lived in a
barnyard. She spent almost all of
her time walking about the barnyard

Little Red Hen lived in a
barnyard. She spent almost all of
her time walking around the barnyard

her

picketty-pecketty

fashion,

style,

scratching

everywhere

for

worms.

he dearly loved fat, delicious worms and felt they were absolutely necessary to the health of her children. As
often as

she dearly loved plump, tasty worms and believed they were essential for her children's health. As
often as

she

found a

worm

she

would

call

“Chuck-chuck-chuck!” to her chickies.

“Chick-chick-chick!” to her chickies.

hen they were gathered about her, she would distribute choice morsels of her tid-bit. A busy little body was she!

When they gathered around her, she would share tasty little bites of her food. She was such a busy little person!

A cat usually napped lazily in the barn door, not even bothering herself to scare the rat who ran here and there as

A cat typically napped lazily in the barn door, not even bothering to scare the rat that scurried around.

he pleased.

he was pleased.

And

as for

the pig

who lived

in the

sty—he

did

not care what

don't care what

happened so long as he could eat and grow fat.

happened as long as he could eat and get fat.

ne day the Little Red Hen found a Seed. It was a Wheat Seed, but the Little Red Hen was so accustomed to bugs and worms that she supposed this to be some new and perhaps very delicious kind of meat. She bit it gently and found that it resembled a worm in no way whatsoever as to taste although because it was long and slender, a Little Red Hen might easily be fooled by its appearance.

One day, the Little Red Hen found a Seed. It was a Wheat Seed, but the Little Red Hen was so used to bugs and worms that she thought this might be some new and possibly very tasty type of meat. She bit it gently and discovered it didn't taste anything like a worm at all, even though its long and slender shape could easily mislead a Little Red Hen.

arrying it about, she made many inquiries as to what it might be. She found it was a Wheat Seed and that, if planted, it would grow up and when ripe it could be made into flour and then into bread.

Carrying it around, she asked many questions about what it could be. She discovered it was a wheat seed and that, if planted, it would grow and, when ripe, it could be turned into flour and then into bread.

When she discovered

When she found out

that, she knew it ought

that, she knew it should

to be planted. She was

so busy hunting food for

so busy looking for food

herself and her family

her and her family

that, naturally, she

that, of course, she

thought she ought not

thought she shouldn't

to take time to plant it.

o she thought of the Pig—upon whom time must hang heavily and of the Cat who had nothing to do, and of the great fat Rat with his idle hours, and she called loudly:

So she thought about the Pig—who must be bored out of his mind—and the Cat who had nothing going on, and the big, lazy Rat with all his free time, and she shouted:

“Who

Who

will

gonna

plant

the

Seed?”

Seed?

But the Pig said, “Not I,”

But the Pig said, “Not me,”

and the Cat said, “Not I,”

and the Cat said, “Not me,”

and the Rat said, “Not I.”

and the Rat said, “Not me.”

“Well, then,” said the Little Red Hen, “I will.”

And she did.

hen she went on with her daily duties through the long summer days, scratching for worms and feeding her chicks, while

when she continued with her daily tasks throughout the long summer days, searching for worms and feeding her chicks, while

the Pig grew fat,

the pig got fat,

and the Cat grew fat,

and the Cat got fat,

and the Rat grew fat,

and the rat got fat,

and the Wheat

grew tall and

grew tall and strong

ready for

set to

harvest.

harvest time.

o one day the Little Red Hen chanced to notice how large the Wheat was and that the grain was ripe, so she ran about calling briskly: “Who will cut the Wheat?”

One day, the Little Red Hen noticed how big the Wheat had grown and that the grain was ready to be harvested, so she ran around calling out: “Who will cut the Wheat?”

The Pig said, “Not I,”

The Pig said, "Not me,"

the Cat said, “Not I,”

the Cat said, “Not me,”

and the Rat said, “Not I.”

and the Rat said, “Not me.”

“Well,

then,”

then,

said the

Little

Small

Red Hen,

Red Hen

“I will.”

"I will."

And she did.

he got the sickle from among the farmer's tools in the barn and proceeded to cut off all of the big plant of Wheat.

He grabbed the sickle from the farmer's tools in the barn and started cutting down all of the large wheat plants.

On the ground lay the nicely cut Wheat, ready to be gathered and threshed, but the newest and yellowest and downiest of Mrs.

On the ground lay the freshly cut wheat, ready to be collected and threshed, but the newest, most yellow, and softest of Mrs.

Hen's chicks set up a “peep-peep-peeping” in their most vigorous fashion, proclaiming to the world at large, but most particularly to their mother, that she was neglecting them.

Hen's chicks were loudly "peep-peep-peeping" in their most energetic way, announcing to everyone, especially to their mom, that she was ignoring them.

oor Little Red Hen! She felt quite bewildered and hardly knew where to turn.

Poor Little Red Hen! She felt so confused and hardly knew what to do.

Her attention was sorely divided between her duty to her children and her duty to the Wheat, for which she felt responsible.

Her attention was heavily split between her responsibilities to her children and her obligation to the Wheat, for which she felt accountable.

So, again, in a very hopeful tone, she called out, “Who will thresh the Wheat?”

So, again, in a very hopeful tone, she called out, “Who will thresh the wheat?”

But the Pig, with a grunt, said, “Not I,” and the Cat, with a meow, said, “Not I,” and the Rat, with a squeak, said, “Not I.”

But the Pig, grunting, said, “Not me,” and the Cat, meowing, said, “Not me,” and the Rat, squeaking, said, “Not me.”

So the Little Red Hen, looking, it must be admitted, rather discouraged, said, “Well, I will, then.”

So the Little Red Hen, looking a bit discouraged, said, “Alright, I will.”

And she did.

Of course, she had to feed her babies first, though, and when she had gotten them all to sleep for their afternoon nap, she

went out and threshed the Wheat. Then she called out: “Who will carry the Wheat to the mill to be ground?”

went out and threshed the wheat. Then she called out: “Who will take the wheat to the mill to be ground?”

Turning their backs with snippy glee, that Pig said, “Not I,”

Turning their backs with sarcastic delight, that Pig said, “Not me,”

and

that

Cat

said,

“Not I,”

"Not I,"

and

that

Rat

Rodent

said,

“Not I.”

o the good Little Red Hen could do nothing but say, “I will then.” And she did.

So the good Little Red Hen could do nothing but say, “I will then.” And she did.

Carrying the sack of Wheat, she trudged off to the distant mill. There she ordered the Wheat ground into beautiful white flour. When the miller brought her the

Carrying the sack of wheat, she trudged off to the distant mill. There, she asked the miller to grind the wheat into fine white flour. When the miller brought her the

flour she

walked

slowly

back all

back everyone

the way

the method

to her own

to herself

barnyard

farmyard

in her own

in her own way

picketty-pecketty

fashion.

style.

he even managed, in spite of her load, to catch a nice juicy worm now and then and had one left for the babies when she reached them. Those cunning little fluff-balls were so glad to see their mother. For the first time, they really appreciated her.

He even managed, despite her heavy load, to catch a nice juicy worm now and then and saved one for the babies when she got to them. Those clever little fluff-balls were so happy to see their mom. For the first time, they really appreciated her.

After this really strenuous day Mrs. Hen retired to her slumbers earlier than usual—indeed, before the colors came into the sky to herald the setting of the sun, her usual bedtime hour.

After this really exhausting day, Mrs. Hen went to bed earlier than usual—actually, before the colors filled the sky to signal the sunset, which is when she typically goes to sleep.

She would have liked to sleep late in the morning, but her chicks, joining in the morning chorus of the hen yard, drove away all hopes of such a luxury.

She would have liked to sleep in late, but her chicks, joining in the morning chorus of the chicken yard, chased away any hope of that luxury.

Even as she sleepily half opened one eye, the thought came to her that to-day that Wheat must, somehow, be made into bread.

Even as she sleepily half-opened one eye, it occurred to her that today, the wheat had to somehow be turned into bread.

She was not in the habit of making bread, although, of course, anyone can make it if he or she follows the recipe with care, and she knew perfectly well that she could do it if necessary.

She wasn't used to making bread, but, of course, anyone can make it if they follow the recipe carefully, and she knew very well that she could do it if she needed to.

So after her children were fed and made sweet and fresh for the day, she hunted up the Pig, the Cat and the Rat.

So after she had fed her children and got them all cleaned up for the day, she went to find the Pig, the Cat, and the Rat.

Still confident that they would

surely help

definitely help

her some day

her someday

she sang out,

“Who will

“Who will”

make the

bread?”

bread?

las for the Little Red Hen! Once

more her hopes were dashed! For

more her hopes were crushed! For

the

Pig

said,

“Not

Not

I,”

the

Cat

said,

“Not

Not

I,”

and

the

Rat

Rodent

said,

“Not

Not

I.”

o the Little Red Hen said once more, “I will then,” and she did.

So the Little Red Hen said once again, “I will then,” and she did.

Feeling that she might have known all the time that she would have to do it all herself, she went and put on a fresh apron and spotless cook's cap. First of all she set the dough, as was proper. When it was time she brought out the moulding board and the baking tins, moulded the bread, divided it into loaves, and put them into the oven to bake. All the while the Cat sat lazily by, giggling and chuckling.

Feeling like she had known all along that she would have to do everything by herself, she went and put on a clean apron and a spotless chef's hat. First, she prepared the dough, as was expected. When the time was right, she brought out the cutting board and the baking tins, shaped the bread, divided it into loaves, and placed them in the oven to bake. All the while, the Cat sat lazily nearby, giggling and chuckling.

And close at

hand the

hand it over

vain Rat

self-absorbed rat

powdered

powder

his nose

and admired

and appreciated

himself

in a mirror.

In the distance

In the background

could be

can be

heard the long-drawn

heard the drawn-out

snores of

snores from

the dozing Pig.

the sleeping Pig.

t last the great moment arrived. A delicious odor was wafted upon the autumn breeze. Everywhere the barnyard citizens sniffed the air with delight.

At last, the big moment arrived. A delicious smell floated through the autumn breeze. Everywhere, the barnyard animals sniffed the air with delight.

The Red Hen ambled in her picketty-pecketty way toward the source of all this excitement.

The Red Hen walked in her cute and clumsy way toward the source of all this excitement.

lthough she appeared to be perfectly calm, in reality she could only with difficulty restrain an impulse to dance and sing, for had she not

Although she seemed completely calm, in reality, she could only barely hold back the urge to dance and sing, for had she not

done

all

the

work

this

wonderful

awesome

bread?

mall wonder that she was the most excited person in the barnyard!

It's no surprise that she was the most excited person in the barnyard!

She did not know whether the bread would be fit to eat, but—joy of joys!—when the lovely brown loaves came out of the oven,

She didn’t know if the bread would be good to eat, but—what a delight!—when the beautiful brown loaves came out of the oven,

they were done to perfection.

they were perfect.

Then, probably because she had acquired the habit, the Red Hen called:

Then, likely because it had become a habit, the Red Hen called:

“Who

“Who”

will

eat

dine

the

Bread?”

Bread?

All the animals in the barnyard were watching hungrily and smacking their lips in anticipation, and

the Pig said, “I will,”

the Cat said, “I will,”

the Rat said, “I will.”

But the Little Red Hen said,

“No, you won't. I will.”

And

she

did.

Uniform With This Volume:

Little Black Sambo

Willie Mouse

Willie the Mouse

Wee Peter Pug

Little Peter Pug

The Saalfield

Publishing Company

Chicago

AKRON, OHIO

New York

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