Willie Saves a Life

It was a beautiful spring morning down at the Hansen’s barn in Mountain Grove, Ontario. Willie, a two year old donkey, stood outside enjoying the warm sunshine.

Clint Rooster came strutting out of the barn.

“Millie’s eggs are hatching!” Clint exclaimed loudly.

“What is going on here?” asked Willie.

“Millie’s having babies,” said Arnold Pig.

“Oh good!” exclaimed Willie. “Now I will have someone else to play with!”

“Willie, you can’t play with Millie’s chicks,” said Arnold. “She will get so upset! Besides, chicks are very small and fragile when they hatch. Also, we all know how clumsy you are around here, Willie. Why, just the other day, you just about stepped on Millie’s eggs! Boy, was she mad at you!”

“I tripped,” said Willie. “Besides, how was I supposed to know that Millie had moved her nest out into the middle of the barn floor?”

“You know Willie,” said Arnold. “Perhaps if you were to stop carrying that cardboard box over your head, you might not be so clumsy.”

“I have fun with my boxes,” said Willie. “If I didn’t have my boxes to play with, why I just might have to start picking on you!”

“Oh no you don’t,” said Arnold.

“Chick number one has just hatched!” announced Clint. “It is a fine healthy one, too!”

“Oh, I want to go see it,” said Willie, excitedly. “I love baby animals.”

“Yeah, so do I,” said Arnold.

“Let’s go and take a peak,” said Willie.

“No, we’d better not,” said Arnold. “I don’t like it when Millie gets mad at me!”

“Fox alert!” screamed Clint. “Fox alert!”

“Oh no!” exclaimed Willie, catching sight of a long red tail, leaving the barn.

Willie dashed off quickly in the direction of that long red tail. The fox turned at the edge of the field. Willie saw a baby chick hanging out of its mouth!

“No, you stop right there fox,” said Willie, angrily. “No fox is going to walk away with any babies from this farm!”

“Try to stop me,” said the fox.

Willie darted straight for the fox. The fox tripped over a boulder, dropping the little chick to the ground. Quickly, Willie carefully picked up the baby chick. It was still very much alive, just a little wet. Very gently, he took the baby back to Millie.

“Willie, thank you very much,” said Millie. “You just saved my baby’s life.”

“No need to thank me, Millie,” said Willie, modestly. “I’d have done that for anyone’s baby.”

“You know, Willie,” said Millie. “You may be clumsy at times, but you sure are a considerate and kind donkey!”

Thanks to Willie, Millie’s baby survived his dreadful first day of life and so did all of her seven other babies. Millie allowed Willie to play with her baby chicks, often.

“Uncle Willie!” the babies shouted, one spring day. “Come and play with us! We want to play touch tag.”

“Alright,” said Willie. “Can I be “IT” this time?”

“No,” said the babies. “We want to be “IT” again.”

“Alright,” said Willie. “But next time I’m “IT”.”