Ladybug in the Pumpkin Patch
“Pumpkin Fairy!” screamed Pumpkin Fairy’s neighbour, Farmer John. “Come quick! There is a ladybug in the pumpkin patch. He is eating the leaves of the pumpkins.”
“Oh dear!” exclaimed Pumpkin Fairy, getting her rubber boots on. “He will destroy the pumpkins.”
Farmer John and Pumpkin Fairy saw the ladybug and they saw it sitting on the pumpkin leaves, so, to them, it appeared that the ladybug was eating the pumpkin leaves. What Farmer John and Pumpkin Fairy didn’t see, was a grasshopper on the underside of the leaf. It was the grasshopper that was actually eating the leaves.
“Please stop,” said the ladybug to the grasshopper. “You have almost eaten this whole leaf. You are going to destroy the pumpkins.”
“I don’t have to stop,” said the grasshopper. “Nobody can see me. Everyone is going to think that you are the one eating the leaves.”
“Not for long,” said the ladybug, flying away.
“Hey!” cried the grasshopper. “That isn’t fair. I am going to be the one getting into trouble now.”
The ladybug didn’t listen. He saw Pumpkin Fairy and Farmer John enter the pumpkin patch as he continued flying away.
“You know,” said Pumpkin Fairy. “I don’t think ladybugs eat leaves.”
“Come think of it,” said Farmer John. “You are right. Ladybugs don’t eat leaves.”
“Look,” pointed Pumpkin Fairy, seeing the ladybug fly away.
“I bet the culprit is still in the leaves,” said Farmer John.
Pumpkin Fairy and Farmer John scoured the pumpkin patch and then, Pumpkin Fairy spotted the grasshopper, who was still in the leaves eating the pumpkin leaves.
“Go away,” yelled Pumpkin Fairy. “I will not have you destroy my pumpkins.”
The grasshopper flew away.
“I was almost going to blame that poor innocent ladybug for eating the pumpkin leaves,” said Pumpkin Fairy.
“We all know you demand the truth,” said Farmer John.
“Yes I do,” said Pumpkin Fairy. “I am glad I got the truth on the ladybug in the pumpkin patch and solved the mystery.
Moral of this Story:
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