One bright morning, Gertrude McCluck woke all the hens. The sun was shining and the dew was sparkling on the grass. Gertrude exclaimed, "Today is Cheery Cocks birthday. Let's begin preparation."

She assigned all the hens jobs because she was the wisest and most knowledgeable. Gertrude declared to Cheery Cock, "Do whatever you'd like. We're planning a birthday bash for tonight."

Meanwhile, intelligent Gertrude attempted to wake her son Peter Pullet. He was crabby and sullen. He never did as he was told. Gertrude advised him, "Do your part so the hens will allow you to join tonight's party."

Peter Pullet whined, "I don't know how to help."

"Come along with me, we'll find the birthday treat," Gertrude replied.

At that moment, a little girl came and dumped the slop bucket over the fence. Gertrude, with Peter Pullet in tow, went and found a dry piece of cornbread — exactly the treat for which Gertrude had hoped. "Peter Pullet, here is an important job for you. Guard the cornbread from Ratty and Roachy Rat, the greediest creatures in the barnyard. If you need help, call. All the hens will leave our duties to rescue you."

"Why should I have to stand here all day and watch this dumb piece of cornbread?" blabbered Peter Pullet.

"If you want to be appreciated, you need to learn to be kind and helpful," replied Gertrude.

Sullenly, Peter Pullet stomped over to watch the cornbread.

After awhile, Peter Pullet became bored. He cooked up a plan to liven things up. "Rat! Rat!" he yelled. All of the chickens raced to him.

"Where is the rat?" they asked.

"Ha, ha, he, he," laughed Peter Pullet. "There is no rat, I just wanted to see you hens run."

Gertrude warned, "Your foolishness will haunt you."

After awhile, he became bored again. Again, he yelled the warning of "Rat!" When the hens came running, Peter Pullet rolled around on the floor and laughed until he hurt. All the hens angrily marched off.

Kindly Gertrude lectured, "No one will ever believe you if you keep this up. What happens if you really need help someday?"

"When would I ever need the help of a bunch of bossy old hens?" he griped.

Shortly thereafter, two beady-eyed rats poked their heads out and saw the cornbread. Peter Pullet saw them and screamed louder than ever, "RAT! RAT! RAT!" But, no one responded.

That evening, Peter Pullet trudged into the coop and quietly announced, "There will not be any cornbread." His tail feathers, he had been carefully nursing, were gone. They had been plucked out by the shafts.

That evening, as Peter Pullet sat alone in a dark corner and listened to the exciting party, he remembered the warning given to him by Gertrude. He realized his foolish falsehood had caused the hens to ignore him. He decided he didn't want to spend the rest or his life ignored.

Tomorrow, he would be bright, sensible and prudent, like his mother, Gertrude McCluck.