BEN'S OLD SHIRT
(121 words)
Copyright © 2014 by Marianne Mitchell. All rights reserved.

    Ben wore his old red shirt everywhere. One day, the last button fell off.
    "Maybe it's time to get rid that old shirt," said Mom.
    "Not yet," said Ben. "I'll wear it when I help Daddy in the garden."
    But after digging in the dirt, his shirt looked even worse.
    Mom wanted to throw it away.
    "It just needs some soap and water," said Ben.
    The next day Ben tore his shirt on a nail.
    Mom tried to mend it but the hole was too big.
    "Now can we throw it away?" asked Mom.
    "Not yet," said Ben. "I know who could use this old shirt."
    Ben ran out to the garden. "My shirt is perfect for you, Scarecrow," he said.


RABBIT MOON
A folktale from Mexico
Copyright © 2014 by Marianne Mitchell. All rights reserved.

    Long ago there was no moon in the sky. Only the stars twinkled at night.
    A boy looked around and said, "It's too dark."
    "A night light would help," said his mother.
    "I have an idea," said the boy. "I will take some light from the stars and place them on my shield."
    "How will you do that?" asked his mother.
    "My friend Rabbit will help me."
    The boy went out and showed Rabbit the evening star.
    "Can you carry a rope up there?"
    "Yes!" said Rabbit. He jumped all the way to the star. Then Rabbit threw down the rope and pulled the boy up.
    Together they hopped up from star to star. The boy took a small shiny piece from each star. He put the pieces on his shield and made a bright full moon.
    "Oh!" said the boy, covering his eyes. "This made too much light!"
    "I can fix that," said Rabbit. He hopped into the center of the shield and stretched out to rest. "I will stay here and live on the moon."
    So the boy said good-bye and slid down the rope.
    His mother liked the moon he had made. "Now the night won't be so dark," she said.
    And every night the boy looked up at his friend, Rabbit Moon.

(195 words)