Honk and the Little Chicken

Honk, the pig was enjoying a peaceful afternoon. The sun was warm. The grass was soft. And a patch of delicious clover had somehow appeared exactly where Honk had been standing. Life was good.

Then he heard it.

“Cheep!”

Honk looked up.

“Cheep! Cheep! Cheep!”

The sound was small. And worried.

Honk trotted across the farmyard until he found a tiny yellow chicken standing beside a muddy ditch. The little chicken peered down nervously.

“What happened?” asked Honk.

“My ball fell in,” said the chicken sadly.

Sure enough, a small red ball was sitting in the mud at the bottom of the ditch. The chicken sighed. “I can't reach it.”

Honk puffed out his chest. This sounded like a rescue. And Honk liked rescues.

“Don't worry,” he said. “I'll get it.”

The little chicken smiled.

Honk climbed carefully down the side of the ditch. At least he tried to climb carefully. One hoof slipped. Then another. Then…

SLIIIIIDE!

Down he went. Mud splashed everywhere. The little chicken gasped.

Honk sat at the bottom of the ditch, looking very muddy. “Exactly as planned,” he said.

The chicken wasn't entirely convinced.

Honk grabbed the ball. Success! Now all he had to do was climb back up.

He took one step. Squish. Another step. Squish. Then his hoof slipped again. Down he slid.

The ball bounced out of his mouth. Boing. Boing. Boing. It rolled all the way up the bank and stopped right beside the chicken.

The little chicken blinked. “My ball!”

Honk looked at the ball. Then at the chicken. Then at the muddy ditch.

“Also, exactly as planned,” he said.

The chicken giggled.

Now only Honk needed rescuing.

The little chicken thought hard. Then he spotted a sturdy wooden plank nearby. Together they pushed it across the ditch.

Honk climbed up carefully. And for once, he made it without slipping.

The little chicken cheered. “You rescued my ball!”

Honk smiled. “And you rescued me.”

The chicken laughed. Honk laughed. And together they walked back across the farmyard, one carrying a ball and the other carrying rather a lot of mud.

It had been a very successful rescue after all.