Greenleaf Grasshopper's Road Trip
Young Greenleaf Grasshopper decided to fly across the road one warm summer day. He was eager to get to the other side to see his friends.
After looking once to his left and once to his right—he was watching for cars, you see—he rose out of the grass near the side of the road and his delicate wings lifted him into the air.
At that very moment a traffic light changed from red to green, however, and a car that had stopped began to move forward on the road. Across the road flew Greenleaf Grasshopper, who did not see the car. Along the road came the car, driven by Mrs. Pancake, who did not see Greenleaf.
If your sister had been watching, she would have shut her eyes. Your brother, too. It looked to anyone as if there would be an accident. Mrs. Pancake’s car came closer and closer to Greenleaf Grasshopper. Greenleaf came closer and closer to the car.
When Greenleaf finally saw the car, he tried to rise away, but the car bumped into him. He began sliding down the slippery glass of the windshield until he stopped, caught in the unmoving arm of the windshield wiper.
As the car began going faster, Greenleaf tried to free himself, but he could not. So what do you think he did?
Although Greenleaf was frightened, he decided to hold on tightly. When he looked into the car that Mrs. Pancake was driving, what do you think he saw?
He saw a pretty lady in a red blouse and white shorts driving the car. This was Mrs. Pancake. And he also saw a car seat behind Mrs. Pancake that was built for a little boy or girl. The seat was empty, but beside the seat he saw a picture book, a blue ball, and a toy drum.
By now the car began slowing down. It turned into a parking lot and pulled up next to a building. Children were playing in a yard. What do you think they were playing?
Some of the kids were running races and some were playing catch. A boy and a girl were swinging high on swings. Two girls and a boy were jumping rope. Three boys and two girls were climbing on the jungle gym.
Mrs. Pancake opened the car door and walked into the building. In only a minute she returned to the car with a little boy, who was holding her hand. How old do you think the little boy was?
The boy was four years old, and anyone could tell that he was proud of his tennis shoes that blinked in different colors as he stepped along the walkway. The boy stopped when he saw the car. What do you think he said?
He said, “Mommy, there’s a grasshopper caught on the car. Do you think he is hurt?”
Mrs. Pancake gently lifted the windshield wiper away from the glass, freeing Greenleaf Grasshopper’s leg. If Greenleaf could have spoken, what do you think he would have said?
Greenleaf would have said, “Thank you very much for releasing me. I’ve never been caught on a car before, and I can tell you that it is very scary. The next time I cross the road, I’m going to look both ways much more carefully, at least two or three times.”
And then Greenleaf Grasshopper, feeling free and very fine, lifted up into the air on his delicate wings and happily flew away.
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