Children's Story: The Big White Goose

Penrod’s family was moving to the city, and they couldn’t take him with them. Penrod came to live with the Duckett family. His new family set him free, near the other geese. Penrod was shy. He was used to being the only goose.

Now there was a whole flock of geese; so many he couldn’t count them all. He moved closer to the flock. "Hiss, hiss." They hissed at him. Penrod was sad. He missed his old family. He used to get fed white bread by hand, and stroked on the head.

Penrod set off to find the lady farmer. He found her hanging clothes on the line. He waddled closer. “I wonder if she is nice.”

He waddled closer and looked around to see if anyone else was near. “Hello Penrod. I suppose you came for your treat.” Treat, she knows about my treat?

Penrod stretched his neck tall, and then dipped his head twice. He followed the farmer’s wife to the kitchen door. She went inside and closed the door. "But where’s my treat? He waited and waited. Where’s my treat?" He wondered.

"What should I do?" Penrod pecked on the back door, and waited.  He pecked on the door again, 1, 2, 3 times. Suddenly the door popped open. Penrod peaked inside. He saw one, no two whole slices of white bread on the kitchen counter.  Just as he started to enter, the farmer's wife came out of the pantry.  "Oh no you don't. Shoo! Come on, let's go outside."

The lady farmer sat down on the step and fed Penrod his treat. As he ate, she told him about all the places he could visit on the farm, especially the big pond that Farmer Duckett had dug just for his geese and the ducks. Penrod liked her. And he was sure she liked him too. "Maybe living here won't be so bad."

While Penrod ate and visited with the farmer’s wife, the other geese were watching, wondering what to make of this new goose. He must be special if the lady farmer talks to him. “Well, Penrod, It’s time to get supper cooking.” She patted his head and went inside.

Penrod strolled off to explore his new home. “Where was this pond she talked about? I’d like to go swimming.” “We’ll show you.”  Penrod turned around and there were all the other geese. "You’ll show me?" Asked Penrod. "You want to play with me?” Penrod was so happy.

He followed the other geese until they came to a road. Penrod was frightened. There was a truck and cars coming closer. “Watch out, Watch out” Penrod buried his head under his wing. He heard a loud noise. Oh no; he peaked to see.

The trucked had stopped.  All the cars and trucks stopped in both directions.  People got out of their cars to watch them parade across the road. 

Jake, the lead goose, started across the road and the other geese followed one-by-one. Penrod was afraid when it came his turn to cross the road, but the truck driver waved him across. He was the last goose to cross. The ducks and little ducklings followed.

"Wow, we made it."  Penrod turned back to the road.  The truck driver tooted his horn and the cars and trucks drove away.

The geese wondered through the barn yard.  Penrod saw cows, pigs, and animals he'd never seen before. 

When they reached the pond, Penrod stretched his neck and looked all around. He had never seen such a big pond. He hopped in with the other geese and dipped and splashed and swam.

Penrod was glad he'd come to live with farmer Duckett and his wife. Honk, Honk!

Copyright, 2010, Die'Dre' L. Duckett