Once upon a time, in Russia, an old man planted some turnip seeds. Each year he grew good turnips, but this year he was especially proud of one very big turnip. He left it in the ground longer than the others and watched with amazement and delight as it grew bigger and bigger. It grew so big that no one could remember ever having seen such a huge turnip before.
At last it stopped growing, and the old man decided that the time had come to pull it up. He took hold of the leaves of the great big turnip and pulled and pulled, but the turnip did not move.
So the old man called his wife to come and help him. The old woman pulled the old man, and the old man pulled the turnip. Together they pulled and pulled, but the turnip did not move.
So the old woman called her granddaughter to come and help. The granddaughter
pulled the old woman, the old woman pulled the old man, and the old man pulled the turnip. Still the turnip did not move.
The granddaughter called to the dog to come and help. The dog pulled the granddaughter, the granddaughter pulled the old woman, the old woman pulled the old man, and the old man pulled the turnip. But the great big turnip stayed firmly in the ground.
The dog called to the cat to come and help pull up the turnip. The cat pulled the dog, the dog pulled the granddaughter, the granddaughter pulled the old woman, the old woman pulled the old man, and the old man pulled the turnip. They all pulled and pulled as hard as they could, but still the turnip did not move.
Then the cat called to a mouse to come and help pull up the great big turnip. The mouse pulled the cat, the cat pulled the dog, the dog pulled the granddaughter, the granddaughter pulled the old woman, the old woman pulled the old man, and he pulled the big turnip. Together they pulled and pulled and pulled as hard as they could.
Suddenly, the great big turnip came out of the ground, and everyone fell over.
