Exceptional

A farmer's goat that causes trouble.

Farmer Brown's Goat

by BethShelby

Children's Rhyming Poem Contest Winner 

This tale’s about a goat named Fred, who spent most days inside a shed, `cause every time that he got free this goat became disorderly.   The goat was owned by Farmer Brown, and on most days he was around. If his goat got into trouble, Brown came running on the double.   One day the farmer went to town, and Fred escaped with no one `round. The dog, named Gip, did all he could, but somehow Fred misunderstood.   Fred didn’t like this sassy mutt. He lowered his head and gave a butt, and Gip went flying through the air. He landed on a prickly pear.   Brown’s wife had laundry on the line. She sunned her clothes so they’d smell fine. Goat Fred thought they might taste good too. He tried a shirt-- then ate a few.   Through flower beds he chased the cat, and trampled all the daisies flat. He scattered flowers all around, and ate petunias that he found.   Farmer Brown’s garden looked so good, Fred gobbled all the plants he could, but tripping on a pumpkin vine, he landed flat on his behind.   Gip saw this was his only way to hurry up and save the day. He tied Fred with a doggy knot, and left him in the garden plot.   When Farmer Brown came back from town, he found poor Fred, both gagged and bound. Gip was as proud as he could be with Fred tied up for all to see.   Fred learned his lesson well that day. The mutt named Gip had made him pay. But eating shirts did quite the trick; he’d had so many he got sick.   Brown said,“ Fred you must earn your keep. It’s not enough to eat and sleep. Free time got you into trouble, and you turned this farm to rubble." Now Fred has got himself a chore, and life’s no longer such a bore. He pulls around a turnip cart and proud as punch, he does his part.

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