The Picky, Little Goat

Once upon a time there was a picky, little goat.

Try as she might, this kid’s mother could not get him to try anything new. She prepared meals that any little goat would like. She bargained with him and even tried bribery. But, nothing worked. He seldom ate much of anything, worrying his mother and leaving her to wonder how he would ever grow up healthy and strong.

One day, as the goat family sat down to dinner, the picky, little goat’s mother decided to try something different. “Little goat,” she announced. “The next time you say you don’t like something you haven’t even tried, an ogre will snatch you up and cook you for supper!”

This seemed to work, because he didn’t breathe a word as she set a big, black pot down on the table. Perhaps mother should have known better than to push her luck, but she could not help asking, “Do you want to know what we’re having?”

“I don’t like it! I won’t like it! And, I’m not going to try any!” shouted the picky, little goat.

No sooner had the words left his mouth, than there was a low rumble like thunder that rattled the silverware and shook the whole house. Before the picky, little goat knew what was happening, an ogre raised one side of the roof like a giant picnic basket and plucked the picky, little goat right out of his seat.

“Mother!” he cried. But, the ogre had already carried the picky, little goat too far away.

At the ogre’s lair, a great, big soup kettle hung over a neatly stacked pile of wood. The ogre tossed the picky, little goat into the kettle and called down to him, “Don’t you go anywhere. I’ll be right back and we’ll make some delicious soup.” If you have never seen a hungry ogre lick its lips and wink at you, you can call yourself lucky. But, this is not “The Lucky, Little Goat” and our hero was in a real pinch.

The ogre returned with two fistfuls of broccoli, which he dropped into the kettle. “Now, let me see.” He scratched his head and wondered aloud. “What now?” As everyone knows, ogres are not very bright and too much hard thinking quickly tires them out. This gave the picky, little goat an idea.

“Cheese!” the little goat shouted. “Don’t forget the cheese!”

“Hey, thanks!” the ogre grinned and lumbered off. As soon as he was gone, the picky, little goat ate every last piece of broccoli in the kettle. When the ogre came back and threw in two handfuls of cheese, he seemed confused. “Huh? I thought…”

“Broccoli!” the little goat yelled. “You can’t make cheese and goat and broccoli soup without broccoli!”

“Yeah, you’re right! Thanks, little goat. This will be the best soup ever.” Once the ogre was out-of-sight, the picky, little goat hurried and finished up all the cheese. When the hungry ogre arrived with the broccoli, he spread it around evenly and stood back looking puzzled.

“You’re almost done!” said the little goat. “All you need now is some cheese!”

“Boy, making soup is hard work!” the ogre sighed, wiping his forehead with his sleeve. “I’ll be right back.” The ogre’s loud stomping became more of a tired shuffle. And, you guessed it, the little goat quickly gobbled up every last piece of broccoli. By time he got back, the ogre was all sweaty and out-of-breath. Instead of spacing the cheese out carefully, he set it all down in a big stack against one side of the kettle. The picky, little goat saw his chance.

“Way to go!” he cheered the ogre. “This really is going to be the best soup ever! Don’t forget the broccoli!”

The ogre just smiled weakly and nodded. As soon as he turned his back, the picky, little goat started climbing the stack of cheese. The ogre was nowhere to be seen when the little goat poked his head out of the kettle. He jumped down onto the woodpile and slid quietly to the floor. Somewhere in another room he could hear the ogre snoring loudly.

The picky, little goat was welcomed home as a hero and goats came from miles around to hear his story. As a matter of fact, the picky, little goat’s adventure helped many other goats escape the ogre, who eventually gave up and became a vegetarian.

As for our hero, these days he will gladly eat just about anything that mother sets in front of him.

Except broccoli and cheese soup.