Literacy Corner

Burt The Veggie Bull
by: George Brasovan     CD 4  The Veggie Bull

I tell you, if you visit any farm in the countryside, and you walk up to any bull and say to him,”Excuse me Mr. Bull, may I ask you a question ?”, and  if he says, “Go ahead and ask, and if you ask,”Who is the biggest and the strongest bull around here?”, you will always get the same answer. “The biggest and strongest bull around here is Burt the Veggie Bull.”

Burt was famous all over the countryside. He was always the big star at any fair.He was so big and strong that he could pull a fire truck for almost a mile without even breaking into a sweat. People would stand around in awe and watch him perform incredible feats of strength. “How did you get to be so strong?”, the kids would ask. “Tell us your secret.”

Burt was a friendly bull and he didn’t mind telling the kids his story. “You see kids, when I was very young like you, I wasn’t very strong at all. In fact, I was smaller and weaker than all the other bulls. I hate to admit it but I was a real weakling. The other bulls always bullied me. But everything changed when I met Felix.”

“Felix, who is Felix?”, asked the kids

“Felix the rabbit is my best friend and my personal trainer”, replied Burt.

“Your personal trainer is a rabbit?’, the kids asked in amazement. “How can a rabbit show you how to pull a fire truck?”

“Well ,he didn’t show me how to pull a fire truck but he did teach me how to become big and strong.”

“Can you tell us what Felix taught you or is it some kind of big secret? We would love to know how to become big and strong like you’ , said the kids.

“Well, it is a secret, but if you promise not to tell the other bulls, I’ll share it with you”, smiled Burt.

“We promise Burt. We promise!”, chanted the kids.

“Well” ,said Burt, “it all happened because I was afraid of the “bully” bulls, so instead of grazing in the fields with them, I used to hang around with Felix the rabbit in the vegetable garden. Felix loved vegetables and ate them allthe time. One day I was watching him munch on a strange looking orange vegetable. He looked like he was enjoying it immensely.”

“ What is that thing you’re eating?”, I asked and suddenly I felt very hungry myself !”

“It’s a carrot”, said Felix,” a yummy, yummy carrot. Would you like to try it?”

“No way”, I replied,”bulls don't’ eat carrots, I don’t think.”

“Who cares what the other bulls do”, said Felix,” try it anyway. It’s delicious and full of vitamins which will make you grow bigger and stronger.”

“Did you say bigger and stronger?’ I was very interested. “I like that  and I’m really hungry too. Okay,let me try one please!”

“My pleasure” , said Felix adn handed me his half -chewed carrot. I took a bite but I wasn’t too impressed.

“I don’t think I like this thing”, I said.

“Don’t give up so easily”, said Felix,” take another bite.You have to get used to the taste.”

“Are you sure this is going to help me grow bigger and stronger?”, I asked.

“ I’m positive”, said Felix, “take another bite!”

The second bite seemed to taste a little better. Bite by bite, I finished the whole thing!

“Do you have anymore carrots?”, I asked. “Now I’m really hungry!”

“See “, said Felix, “I told you you’d like it. Stay here. I’ll go and get some more for us.”

To make a long story shorter, that Summer and Fall, Felix got me used to eating not only carrots but all the other veggies he loved so much. Next thing I knew, I was eating lettuce, cucumbers, beans, peppers and even tomatoes. I was growing bigger and stronger everyday and by the end of the Fall, I was ready to face the bulls who used to bully me! One day I walked into the field and straight up to them. They were busy grazing. Felix was watching froma distance.

“Hi, fellas”, I said, “how’s the grazing going?”

The bulls looked up. “Who are you?’, they asked.

“Remember me? I’m Burt, long time no see!”

“Burt “, said one of them,”you can’t be Burt. Burt is a weak and puny bull. You are very big and look very strong.” They looked fearful.

“He is Burt, he is Burt ”, yelled Felix from the distance, “and you better apologize for all the times you bullied him!”

“Sorry , Mr. Burt, we’re sorry”, said all the bulls together.  “We apologize. We didn’t mean to be mean Please don’t hurt us!”

“Alright”, I won’t  hurt you but let this be a lesson to you. Don’t ever bully anybody no matter how small and weak they seem to be.”

“We won’t Mr. Burt, we won’t “, answered all the bulls. The bulls scattered and ran away. Felix came over to congratulate me.

“Way to go Burt ! I think they’ve learned their lesson now.”

“Well, I hope so”, I said. “Now we can graze in peace.”

“Graze, what are you talking about?”, said Felix. “I ‘m a rabbit. We don’t graze.”

“Well, you made me eat vegetables. Now it’s your turn to graze!”

“And did he, did Felix graze?”, asked the kids.

“Yes , he did, except he wasn’t crazyn’ about grazin’, but he did it for me ‘cause that’s what friends do! Now if you’ll excuse me kids, I have to go warm up for my next fire truck pull. But first, I think I’ll have some veggies!”

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