Gregory liked to jump from rock to rock, kick his legs into the air, and butt his head against walls.
“I’m an average goat,” đã đưa ý kiến Gregory.
But Gregory was not an average goat.
Gregory was a terrible eater.
Every time he sat down to eat with his mother and father, he knew he was in for trouble.
“Would bạn like a tin can, Gregory?” asked Mother Goat.
“No, thanks,” đã đưa ý kiến Gregory.
“How about a nice box, a piece of rug, and a bottle cap?” asked Father Goat.
“Baaaaa,” đã đưa ý kiến Gregory unhappily.
“Well, I think this is a meal fit for a goat,” đã đưa ý kiến Mother Goat, as she chewed on an old shoe.
“It certainly is,” đã đưa ý kiến Father Goat, as he ate a shirt, buttons and all. “I don’t know why you’re such a fussy eater, Gregory.”
“I’m not fussy,” đã đưa ý kiến Gregory. “I just want fruits, vegetables, eggs, bread, and butter. Good stuff like that.”
Mother Goat stopped eating the shoe. “Now what kind of thực phẩm is that, Gregory?” she said.
“It’s what I like,” đã đưa ý kiến Gregory.
“It’s revolting,” đã đưa ý kiến Farmer Goat. He wiped his mouth with his napkin.
After Gregory was excused from the table, Father Goat said, “Gregory is such a terrible eater.”
“I wonder what’s wrong with him,” đã đưa ý kiến Mother Goat.
Mother and Father Goat ate their evening newspaper in silence.
The tiếp theo morning Mother and Father Goat were enjoying a pair of pants and a áo, áo khoác for breakfast.
Gregory came to the table.
“Good morning, Gregory,” đã đưa ý kiến Father and Mother Goat.
“Good morning,” đã đưa ý kiến Gregory. “May I have some trái cam, màu da cam juice, cereal, and bananas for breakfast, please.”
“Oh, no!” Mother Goat said. “Do have some of this nice coat.”
“Take a bite out of these pant,” đã đưa ý kiến Father Goat.
“Baaaaaa,” đã đưa ý kiến Gregory. And he left the table.
Father Goat threw down his napkin. “That does it!” he said. “Gregory just isn’t eating right. We must take him to the doctor.”
Father and Mother Goat took Gregory to the doctor.
Dr. Ram was munching on a few pieces of cardboard.
“What seems to be the trouble?” he asked.
“Gregory is a terrible eater,” đã đưa ý kiến Mother Goat. “We’ve offered him the best—shoes, boxes, magazines, tin cans, coats, pants. But all he wants are fruits, vegetables, eggs, fish, trái cam, màu da cam juice, and other horrible things.”
“What do bạn have to say about all of this, Gregory” asked Dr. Ram.
“I want what I like,” đã đưa ý kiến Gregory.
“Makes sense,” đã đưa ý kiến Dr. Ram. He turned to Mother and Father Goat. “I’ve treated picky eaters before,” he said. “They have to develop a taste for good thực phẩm slowly. Try giving Gregory one new thực phẩm each ngày until he eats everything.”
That night for bữa tối, bữa ăn tối Mother Goat gave Gregory mì ống ý, spaghetti and a shoelace in cà chua sauce.
“Not too bad,” đã đưa ý kiến Gregory.
The tiếp theo ngày she gave him string beans and a rubber heel cut into small pieces.
“The meal was good and rubbery,” đã đưa ý kiến Gregory.
The ngày after that, Mother Goat said, “We have your yêu thích today. Vegetable soup. But there is one condition. bạn also have to eat the can.”
“Okay,” đã đưa ý kiến Gregory. “What’s for dessert?”
“Ice cream,” đã đưa ý kiến Father Goat. “But bạn have to eat the box, too.”
“Yummy,” đã đưa ý kiến Gregory.
“I’m proud of you,” đã đưa ý kiến Father Goat. “You’re beginning to eat like a goat.”
“I’m learning to like everything,” đã đưa ý kiến Gregory.
One evening Father Goat asked, “Has anyone seen my striped necktie?”
“Not since breakfast,” đã đưa ý kiến Mother Goat. “Come to think of it, I haven’t seen my sewing basket today. I left it in the living room after bữa ăn tối, bữa tối, bữa tiệc ly last night.”
Father Goat turned to Gregory. “Gregory, have bạn been eating between meals?”
“Yes,” đã đưa ý kiến Gregory. “I can’t help it. Now I like everything.”
“Well,” đã đưa ý kiến Mother Goat, “it’s all right to eat like a goat, but bạn shouldn’t eat like a pig.”
“Oh,” đã đưa ý kiến Gregory.
After Gregory went to bed, Mother Goat said, “I’m afraid Gregory will eat my clothes hamper.”
“Yes, and then my tool kit will be next,” đã đưa ý kiến Father Goat. “He’s eating too much. We’ll have to do something about it.”
The tiếp theo evening, just before supper, Mother and Father Goat went to the town dump.
They brought trang chủ eight flat tires, a three-foot piece of barber pole, a broken violin, and half a car. They piled everything in front of Gregory’s sandbox.
When Gregory came trang chủ for bữa ăn tối, bữa tối, bữa tiệc ly he said, “What’s all that stuff in the yard?”
“Your supper,” đã đưa ý kiến Father Goat.
“It all looks good,” đã đưa ý kiến Gregory.
Gregory ate the tires and the violin. Then he slowly ate the barber pole. But when he started in on the car, he said, “I’ve got a stomachache. I have to lie down.”
Gregory went to his room.
“I think Gregory ate too much junk,” đã đưa ý kiến Father Goat.
“Let’s hope so,” đã đưa ý kiến Mother Goat.
All night Gregory tossed and twisted and moaned and groaned.
The tiếp theo morning he went down for breakfast.
“What would bạn like for breakfast today, Gregory?” asked Father Goat.
“Scrambled eggs and two pieces of waxed paper and a glass of trái cam, màu da cam juice,” đã đưa ý kiến Gregory.
“That sounds just about right,” đã đưa ý kiến Mother Goat.
And it was.
