Reading/Language Arts

One day, Miss Hester left her dog Fritz with Alan Mitz to watch. All morning Alan tried to keep Fritz from chewing the furniture. Then it was time for Fritz’s afternoon walk. 

Fritz led Alan to a door to a garden. A sign near the door read, “No Dogs in This Garden. Abdul Gasazi, Magician.” As Alan turned away, Fritz pulled hard, broke his leach, and ran into the garden.

Alan chased after Fritz, but he could not catch him. Soon, Alan found a big house. At the big house, Alan met a big man: Mr. Gasazi. Alan told Mr. Gasazi that he was sorry that Fritz ran into his garden. Could he please have Fritz back? Mr. Gasazi said that he could have Fritz, but that Fritz was no longer a dog. Mr. Gasazi had turned Fritz into a duck! 

Sadly, Alan picked up the duck and headed home. But before he could get very far, the wind blew off his hat. The duck slipped out of his arms, caught the hat in its mouth, and flew up into the sky! 

As Alan walked slowly home, he thought Fritz was gone for sure. But when he got to Miss Hester’s house, Fritz was there and he was a dog again! Miss Hester told Alan that Mr. Gasazi must have been teasing him. But after Alan left, Miss Hester found Fritz chewing on Alan’s hat.