30 DARK PONY

Once there was a pony.

His name was Dark.

He took boys and girls to Sleepytown.

One night a boy stopped him.

The boy's name was Noddy.

Noddy said,

“Take me down

To Sleepytown! ”

Noddy jumped upon Dark Pony.

Away they went galloping, galloping, galloping.

Soon they came to a little girl.

The girl's name was Niddy.

Niddy said,

“Let me go, too,

Take me with you! ”

Dark Pony stopped galloping.

Noddy said, “We will take you.”

Niddy jumped up behind Noddy.

“Go, go, Dark Pony! ”she said.

Away they went galloping, galloping, galloping.

Soon they came to a white dog.

The dog said,

“Bow, wow, wow!

Take me now! ”

Dark Pony stopped galloping.

Noddy jumped down to get the dog.

Then he jumped upon the pony.

“Go, go, Dark Pony! ”he said.

Away they went galloping, galloping, galloping.

Soon they came to a black cat.

The cat said,

“Mew, mew, mew!

Take me, too! ”

Dark Pony stopped galloping.

Niddy jumped down to get the cat.

Then she jumped upon the pony.

She took the cat with her.

“Go, go, Dark Pony! ”she said.

Away they went galloping, galloping, galloping.

By and by they came to a barn.

They saw a red cock there.

The red cock said,

“Cock-a-doodle-doo!

Take me, too! ”

Dark Pony stopped galloping.

Niddy said, “Come, Red Cock!

You may sit behind me.”

The red cock flew up behind Niddy.

“Go, go, Dark Pony! ”said Niddy.

Away they went galloping, galloping, galloping.

Soon they came to the woods.

They saw a gray squirrel there.

The squirrel said,

“Take me, too,

Along with you! ”

Niddy said, “Yes, Gray Squirrel.

We will take you.

Sit by the red cock.”

The squirrel sat by the red cock.

“Go, go, Dark Pony! ”said Niddy.

Away they went galloping, galloping, galloping.

They went galloping on and on.

How happy they all were!

They sang and sang and sang.

By and by Dark Pony stopped.

He had come to Sleepytown.

All the eyes were shut.

Ni ddy and Noddy and White Dog and Black Cat and Red Cock and Gray Squirrel were all fast asleep.

( Folk Tale)

Word list

dark: not light

shut: not open, close

You Practice

A) Answer the following questions.

1) Where did Dark Pony take boys and girls?

2) Who do Noddy and Niddy meet on the way to Sleepytown?

3) Why did the characters want to go Sleepytown?

4) Do you think this story could really happen? Why or why not?

5) If you could ride a pony, where would you want it to take you? Why?

B) Opposites—Fill in the blanks with the opposites of these words.

1) dark: _ _ _ _ _

4) stop: _ _

2) night: _ _ _

5) wet: _ _ _

3) little: _ _ _

6) hot: _ _ _ _

C) True or False? Read these sentences carefully, write true or false for each one.

1) _____ Dark Pony took only Noddy and Niddy to Sleepytown.

2) _____ Dark Pony moved very slowly.

3) _____ When they arrived in Sleepytown, everyone was awake.

4) _____ Red Cock did not want to go to Sleepytown.

5) _____ Noddy sat with a dog on the way to Sleepytown.