Origin: Unknown

A Variation of a Story Told by Heather Lyle At the Koebel Library Storytelling Festival October 2003

I had great success with this story with first graders. It was a nice story when I heard it at Koebel and the audience there participated happily. The first graders, however, laughed and even slapped the floor they found it so funny.

Possible Lead-in: Have you ever spent the night at someone else’s house? (maybe use after Christmas holiday for spring break or even summer vacation? I told it in October and emphasized the spooky sounds of the house). It is fun to visit, isn’t it? This is the story of a little boy just your age and his visits to his Grandmother’s home.

Billy was a little boy. He had blond hair that stuck up in the back because he hated to waste time combing his hair. But he loved to visit his Grandmas’ house. Grandma lived on a farm and there was so much to do there. She had so many animals! She had a little gray kitten with a pointy tail. Billy loved to take a piece of yarn from Grandma’s knitting basket and drag it along the floor. That little kitten would chase the yarn and pounce on it! (better if you mimic these actions) It always made Billy laugh! Grandma had a big brown dog. That dog would run for hours in the fields with Billy. Billy would pick up sticks and throw them as far as he could (mimic throwing) and that big brown dog would chase them and bring them right back for Billy to throw again and again. Grandma had a white goat. She taught Billy how to milk the goat. (mimic milking) Billy didn’t much like the taste of the goat milk, but it was fun to do the milking. Grandma had a big pink pig. It looked just like a giant piggy bank! Billy loved to watch the pig play in the mud and when Grandma wasn’t watching, Billy would scratch the pig behind her ears. Oh, she thought that was fantastic! Grandma had a nice spotted horse. He was very gentle. Billy fed him carrots and pieces of apple. Grandma let him ride the horse around the Corral. Billy just loved to play with those animals all day long, but at night there was some trouble at Grandma’s house.

Grandma lived in an old house. It was creaky. The wind rattled the windows. Billy’s room was upstairs and the steps made weird noises. (Slap your hands on you knees and make appropriate squeaky stair noises. Have the students join you.) And the door to Billy’s room really sounded scary! (Use on arm to swing the door open with your best-haunted house door sound. Have the students join you.) At bedtime, Grandma would walk Billy up the stairs (hands on knees with stair noise), tuck him in (mimic that motion), tell him a story, kiss him goodnight (big old kiss noise here), and ask him, “Billy will you be afraid tonight?” Billy would answer, (point your thumb to your chest, shake your head no) “No, not me!” Grandma would turn off the light, close the door (creak, then click for the door closing). And Billy would yell in a very scared voice. How do you sound when you’re scared? Yes, he sounded just like that! And Grandma opened the door. “Billy, we’ve had a very big day and we need to get some sleep. Just for tonight, I’m going to let the kitten sleep here with you.” And Grandma went down to the basket by the stove and picked up the kitten (mimic) and carried it up the stairs (noise and put on Billy’s bed. She tucked them in (mimic) and told them a story, kissed them goodnight (two kisses) and asked Billy, “Billy, will you be afraid tonight?” Billy answered ( thumb and shake) “No, not me!” Grandma turned off the light, closed the door (creak, click). And the kitten cried a very frightened meow! (the kids will supply this sound) and Billy yelled (kids again). Grandma opened the door. “Billy, we’ve had a very big day and we need to get some sleep. Just for tonight, I’m going to let the dog sleep here with you.” Grandma went downstairs to the rug by the fireplace and she picked up the dog (mimic). She carried it up the stairs (noise) and put it on Billy’s bed. She tucked them in (three tuck in motions), told them a story, kissed them goodnight (three kisses and the kids will join you, probably with comments on how gross it is to kiss a dog) and asked Billy, “Billy, will you be afraid tonight?” And Billy answered (thumb and shake) “No, not me!” Grandma turned off the light, closed the door (creak, click). The dog barked! (motion for kids to bark), the kitten meowed (kids) and Billy yelled (kids). Grandma opened the door. “Billy, we’ve had a very big day and we need to get some sleep. Just for tonight, I’m going to let the goat sleep here with you.” And the Grandma went out to the barn to get the goat. She picked it up (struggle a little, this is getting harder) and carried it up the stairs (you’re carrying the goat, but make the stair noises) and put it on Billy’s bed. She tucked them in (four tuck ins), told them a story, kissed them goodnight (four kisses! With enthusiasm!), and asked Billy, “Billy will you be afraid tonight?” Billy answered “No, not me!” Grandma turned off the light, closed the door (creak, click). And the goat mewed (all join) and the dog barked and the kitten meowed and Billy yelled (join on each). Grandma opened the door. “Billy, we’ve had a very big day and we need to get some sleep. Just for tonight, I’m going to let the pig sleep here with you.” Grandma went out tot the pigsty and picked up the pig (make this a very heavy pig) and carried it up the stairs and put it on Billy’s bed. She tucked them in (five tuck ins), told them a story, kissed them goodnight (five!) and asked Billy, “Billy, will you be afraid tonight?” Billy answered, “No, not me!” Grandma turned off the light closed the door (creak, click). The pig oinked, the goat mewed the dog barked, the kitten meowed, and Billy yelled. (join all) Grandma opened the door and said, “Billy, we’ve had a very big day and we need to get some sleep. Just for tonight (pregnant pause will let you enjoy the inevitable groans) I’m going to let the horse sleep here with you.” Grandma went out tot he corral and picked up the horse (stagger even if you sitting down). She carried it up the stairs and put it on Billy’s bed. She tucked them in (six), told them a story, kissed them goodnight (six with feeling!) and asked, “Billy, will you be afraid tonight?” “No, not me!” So she turned out the light and closed the door. (creak, click). The horse nayed, the pig oinked, the goat mewed, the dog barked, the kitten meowed, and Billy yelled. (join all) And then CRASH!!! The bed broke and Billy and all the animals fell on the floor! CRASH! BANG! OOF! SMASH! OW!

Grandma opened the door. She picked up the horse and carried it back to the corral. She picked up the pig and carried it back to the sty. She picked up the goat and carried it back to the bar. She picked up the dog and carried it back to the rug in front of the fireplace. She picked up the kitten and carried it back to the basket by the stove. She took Billy by the hand and led him to the kitchen table. She sat him down and gave him 2 cookies and a glass of milk. She got out her tool box and went upstairs and fixed the bed. In the tool box she found a can of oil. She oiled the hinges on the door to Billy’s room. She put away her tool box and took Billy by the hand and led him back upstairs. She tucked him in, told him a story, kissed him goodnight and asked, “Billy, will you be afraid tonight?” And Billy answered, “No, not me!” She turned off the light and closed the door with a quiet click.

And the horse and the pig and goat and the dog and the kitten and Grandma and Billy all slept very well and had wonderful dreams.