Once upon a time, in a cozy little farmyard, there lived a diligent little red hen. One sunny morning, as she pecked around the yard, she stumbled upon some grains of wheat scattered on the ground. The little red hen had an idea. "I will plant these grains of wheat and grow some delicious bread!" she exclaimed.

So, she gathered her strength and determination and set to work. She carefully dug small holes in the earth, placed the grains inside, and covered them with soil. Day after day, she tended to her little patch of wheat, watering it and watching it grow taller and stronger.

When the wheat was ripe and ready for harvest, the little red hen knew it was time to gather her friends for help. "Who will help me harvest the wheat?" she asked the duck, the cat, and the pig who were lounging nearby.

"Not I," quacked the duck lazily. "Not I," purred the cat with a yawn. "Not I," grunted the pig as he rolled in the mud. Undeterred by their refusal, the little red hen forged ahead. She gathered the wheat all by herself and carried it back to the farmyard.

Next came the task of grinding the wheat into flour. "Who will help me grind the wheat into flour?" she asked her friends once more. "Not I," said the duck, stretching his wings. "Not I," said the cat, grooming her whiskers. "Not I," said the pig, snuggling into his straw bed.

With a determined spirit, the little red hen ground the wheat into fine flour all on her own. She stored it in a bag, ready to be used for the next part of her plan - baking the bread.

Now it was time to bake the bread. "Who will help me bake the bread?" she asked her friends, hoping for a different response this time. But their answers remained the same. "Not I," quacked the duck, splashing in the pond. "Not I," purred the cat, curling up for a nap. "Not I," grunted the pig, already snoring.

Without hesitation, the little red hen mixed the flour with water, kneaded the dough, and shaped it into loaves. She carefully placed them in the oven and waited patiently as the delicious aroma of freshly baked bread filled the air.

When the bread was golden brown and ready to eat, the little red hen took it out of the oven and set it on the table to cool. Suddenly, her friends perked up and gathered around, their mouths watering at the sight and smell of the warm, crusty bread.

"Now that the bread is baked, who will help me eat it?" asked the little red hen, looking at her friends with a twinkle in her eye. "We will! We will!" they exclaimed eagerly, realizing the error of their ways.

But the little red hen shook her head and replied, "No, I will eat the bread all by myself. For I did all the work, from planting the wheat to baking the bread, and now I shall enjoy the fruits of my labor."

And with that, she pecked away at the delicious bread, savoring every bite, while her friends looked on with regret, wishing they had helped her along the way. The bread was warm and soft, and the crust was just the right amount of crunchy.

From that day on, the little red hen continued to work hard and enjoy the rewards of her efforts. She planted more wheat, baked more bread, and even started growing other crops. Her friends watched her with admiration and a hint of regret.

One day, the duck came up to her, offering to help with the watering. The cat began chasing away the birds that tried to peck at the seeds. Even the pig started turning the soil with his snout, ready to help with the planting.

The little red hen was surprised but pleased. "Why, thank you," she said, her feathers ruffling with delight. "I'm glad to see you're all willing to help now. Together, we can achieve much more than I could alone."

And so, the farmyard became a place of cooperation and hard work. The friends worked together, each contributing in their own way. The little red hen was proud of her friends, and they were proud of themselves too.

Each time they harvested the wheat, ground it into flour, and baked bread, they would all share in the fruits of their labor. The bread tasted even better when eaten together, and it warmed their hearts as much as their stomachs.

The little red hen's friends had learned a valuable lesson. They understood the importance of diligence, responsibility, and cooperation. They realized that hard work was rewarding and that sharing the effort made the reward even sweeter.

The farmyard was now a happier place, filled with the sounds of laughter and the clucking of the little red hen, who was no longer alone in her efforts. Her friends were now by her side, ready to lend a helping hand whenever needed.

And so, the little red hen and her friends lived happily in their cozy farmyard, working together and enjoying the fruits of their labor. They had not only learned the value of hard work but also the joy of friendship and shared success.