The Giant Turnip

Once upon a time there was a grandfather with a little garden. One spring day, grandfather took a tiny turnip seed in his hand. He dug a little hole in the soft soil. He laid the seed in the hole. He covered it with earth. 'Grow now, little turnip,' said grandfather. 'Grow fine and big.' Then he went home and drank his tea. The sun shone warmly over the garden. A little bird sang on the roof. Everything was still.

The sun shone. The rain fell. A tiny green sprout peeped up out of the earth. Then it became a leaf. Then two leaves. Then the leaves grew as big as wings. And the turnip? It grew and grew. It grew round. It grew thick. It grew bigger than grandfather. It grew bigger than a pumpkin. Soon the turnip was enormous. The very biggest turnip in the whole world. And grandfather just smiled. 'How fine you have grown, little turnip,' he said.

One morning, grandfather said: 'Today I'll pull up the turnip.' He put on his hat. He put on his mittens. He went out into the garden. He stood beside the great big turnip. He took hold of the leaves with both hands. He pulled. He pulled and pulled. But the turnip stuck fast. He pulled again, as hard as he could. But no. The turnip did not budge a bit. It was much, much too big. Grandfather puffed. 'Oh dear, oh dear,' he said. 'This turnip is too much for me alone.'

Then grandfather called out: 'Grandmother! Come and help me!' Grandmother came out from the kitchen. She had flour on her hands. She stood behind grandfather. She held on tight to his jumper. Grandfather held on tight to the turnip. And so they pulled. Grandmother pulled grandfather. Grandfather pulled the turnip. They pulled and pulled. But the turnip stuck fast. They pulled again, as hard as they could. But no. The turnip did not budge. It was much, much too big. 'We need more help,' said grandmother.

Then grandmother called out: 'Little granddaughter! Come and help us!' The little granddaughter came running in from the meadow. She had a bunch of flowers in her hand. She dropped the flowers in the grass. She stood behind grandmother. She held on tight to grandmother's skirt. Grandmother held on tight to grandfather. Grandfather held on tight to the turnip. And so they pulled. They pulled and pulled. But the turnip stuck fast. They pulled again, as hard as they could. But no. The turnip would not come up. It was much, much too big. 'We need even more help,' said the little girl.