Molly's First Party Molly had four nice pets to play with.
Their names were Jumbo, Big Boy, Penny and Quack.
Jumbo was a fat little pig who liked to dig holes with his nose.
Big Boy was a big white rooster who was very proud.
Penny was a little dog who could do tricks.
And you can guess that Quack was a little yellow duck.
Molly had just come to town from the farm.
She did not know any children in town, but she had a good time playing with her pets.
After school started, Molly made many new friends.
All the children liked her and were very nice to her.
One day Betty Jane asked Molly to come to a party at her house on the next Saturday.
Molly had never gone to a party before.
She was so happy that she ran all the way home to tell her mother about it.
Molly's mother was happy too when Molly told her about the party.
I know that you will have a nice time, she said, and you shall have a new dress for your first party.
Molly thought she could not wait for Saturday to come.
But Saturday afternoon came at last.
And Molly was ready for the party.
When she went out into the yard, all the pets were there waiting for her.
They wanted to go with her.
Oh dear, said Molly.
I wonder if the pets will try to follow me.
If they do, they may get lost.
Shut them up in the garage, said her mother.
Then they cannot follow you.
Molly put all her pets in the garage.
Goodbye, my dears, she said.
I am sorry to shut you in here, but I'll soon be back to play with you.
Molly went down the street with her head very high.
She was proud because she was going to a party and because she had a new dress.
When she came near Betty Jane's house, Molly saw the children playing in the yard.
She began to hurry for she was afraid that she was late.
All at once Molly heard the children laugh.
Then she saw that all of them had stopped playing and were looking at her.
Molly stopped.
Oh my, she thought.
Why are they looking at me?
I wonder if my new dress looks strange.
Oh dear, I wish I had never come.
Then Molly Molly heard a little noise behind her.
She turned around to see what it was, and she saw why all the boys and girls were laughing.
Penny, Jumbo, Big Boy, and Quack were all following Molly.
Penny the dog came first.
Next came Jumbo the pig.
Big Boy the rooster walked behind Jumbo.
Last of all came Quack the little duck.
Molly could guess what had happened.
Jumbo, like all pigs, was always digging holes.
He had made a hole in the ground under the garage and all the other pets had followed him out.
Penny had gone sniff, sniff along the ground after Molly.
Then the others had followed Penny.
Poor Molly was angry at her pets.
Go home!
She said to them, Go right back home, every one of you.
But the pets would not go home.
They stood very still and looked very sad.
Just then, Betty Jane came running up.
Don't make them go home, she said.
Let them come to the party too.
It will be fun to play with them.
Please do, said the other children.
So Jumbo, Big Boy, Penny and Quack went to the party too.
The children had a good time with the pets.
Penny did all his funny tricks.
And when the boys and girls had their ice cream and cake, all the pets had some too.
When Molly got home, she said to her mother, Oh, we had the best time.
We asked her mother in surprise.
Yes, we, said Molly.
Big Boy, Quack, Jumbo, and Penny, all five of us went to the party.
