35 THE GO-TO-SLEEP STORY

“I must go to bed, ”said little dog Penny.

“But first I must say good night to Baby Ray.

He is kind to me.

He gives me some of his bread and milk.

I will see if he is asleep.”

So little dog Penny found Baby Ray.

His mother was telling him a Go-to-Sleep story.

Little dog Penny heard it.

This is what he heard,

The doggie that was given him to keep, keep, keep,

Went to see if Baby Ray was asleep, sleep, sleep.

“We must go to bed, too, ”said the two kittens.

“But first we must say good night to Baby Ray.

He gives us milk for our dinner.

Let us see if he is asleep.”

So the little kittens found Baby Ray.

They heard the Go-to-Sleep story.

This is what they heard,

One doggie that was given him to keep, keep, keep,

Two cunning little kitty-cats, creep, creep, creep,

Went to see if Baby Ray was asleep, sleep, sleep.

“We must go to bed, too, ”said the three bunnies.

“But first we must say good night to Baby Ray.

He gives us green leaves for our dinner.

Let us see if he is asleep.”

So the bunnies found Baby Ray.

They heard the Go-to-Sleep story.

This is what they heard,

One doggie that was given him to keep, keep, keep,

Two cunning little kitty-cats, creep, creep, creep,

Three pretty little bunnies with a leap, leap, leap,

Went to see if Baby Ray was asleep, sleep, sleep.

“We must go to bed, ”said the four white geese.

“But first we must say good night to Baby Ray.

He gives us corn.

Let us see if he is asleep.”

So the four geese found Baby Ray.

They heard the Go-to-Sleep story.

This is what they heard,

One doggie that was given him to keep, keep, keep,

Two cunning little kitty-cats, creep, creep, creep,

Three pretty little bunnies with a leap, leap, leap,

Four geese from a duck-pond, deep, deep, deep,

Went to see if Baby Ray was asleep, sleep, sleep.

“We must go to bed, ”said the five little chicks.

“But first we must say good night to Baby Ray.

He gives us bread.

Let us see if he is asleep.”

So the five little chicks found Baby Ray.

He was just going to sleep.

They heard all of the Go-to-Sleep story.

This is what they heard,

One doggie that was given him to keep, keep, keep,

Two cunning little kitty-cats, creep, creep, creep,

Three pretty little bunnies, with a leap, leap, leap,

Four geese from the duck-pond, deep, deep, deep,

Five downy little chicks, crying peep, peep, peep,

All saw that Baby Ray was asleep, sleep, sleep.

(Eudora Bumstead)

Word list

downy: very soft

cunning: smart, very clever

creep: to move slowly and quietly

peep: the sound that baby chicks make

You Practice

A) Answer the following questions.

1) Who was the first character to go check on Baby Ray?

2) What was Baby Ray's mother telling him?

3) How old do you think Baby Ray is? Why?

4) Where do you think Baby Ray lives? Why?

5) What does Baby Ray give the kittens for their dinner?

6) What might kittens do that is cunning?

7) What does Baby Ray give the bunnies for dinner?

B) What's the word? Using the clues, choose the correct words from the story.

1) not big: l _ _ _ _ _

2) to not remember: f _ _ _ _ _

3) to go away: l _ _ _ _

4) happy: g _ _ _

5) nicest looking: p _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

C) Numbers—This story contains some number words. Write each number word and draw a picture that shows that number of objects.

1) one d _ _

2) two k _ _ _ _ _ _

3) three b _ _ _ _ _ _

4) four g _ _ _ _

5) five c _ _ _ _ _