1836 First Eclectic Reader: Lesson XXV. - What The Animals Say

Find the words helpful and useful in the story. What is the base word in each? What is a Suffix? What happens to the meaning of the words if you change the suffix to less? Write a short story about your favorite animals. For example: "The dog says..."

What The Animals Say

They fly says, I fly in the air, if the sun is hot. I sip out of the tea cups. If I see a boy at tea, I sit on the rim of the cup and sip his tea. If he sees me, he may try to pat me, if he can. I fly away and up in the air, so he can not get me. I am a swift fly.
The bee says, I fly too, if the sun is hot, and if it is not wet. I sip too, but I do not get in the tea cups. I am helpful. Boys do not try to pat me, for I do not get in the way, and boys can see i am helpful. If they catch me and do anything to hurt me, i will sting them.
The cat says, I do not sip, I lap. I can get a rat, and I can get you, Mr. Fly, if you do not go too far up in the air. I can run, mew, and can lie in the sun. If it is not hot, i lie on the rug, or in my bed of hay.
The rat says, I eat all I can get. The cat may try to get me, if she can, but I can run out of her way.
The hen says, i can fly, but not as far as Tom, the small bird. I lay eggs, and I am useful to men, but fox may get me, and so may the rats.
The fox says, i am sly, and try to eat all the old hens, but the dogs and men hear me, and try to get me. I am so sly, it is odd if the dogs and men can get me at all.

Vocabulary

fly, see, and,
says, eggs, but,
cup, wet, sun,
can, try, tea,
get, air, pat,
boys, sip, bee,
the, off, use,
hot, air, and was.