Little Jenny and Her Shoes

Little Jenny was in her room looking at her feet. She was full of curiosity about things grownups seemed to never thing about.

"I wonder why I have to wear shoes?" she asked herself. She thought and thought and couldn't think of a single reason that why she needs to wear shoes.

Jenny asked her fish, "How come I have to wear shoes and you don't?" The fish looked at her through his fishbowl and seemed to think for a long time, just staring at her.

The fish replied, "I don't know why you have to, but I don't have any feet, I only have fins to swim. Let's ask Doggie."

So Little Jenny and her fish asked Doggie, "How come I have to wear shoes and you don't?" Doggie looked at her with her tongue hanging out and her tail wagging and she seemed to think for a long time.

Doggie replied, "I don't know why you have to, but I couldn't run as fast with shoes on. Let's ask Froggie."

So Little Jenny her fish, and Doggie asked Froggie, "How come I have to wear shoes and you don't?" Froggie sat beside his pond, chin getting big and small as he breathed and seemed to think for a long time.

Froggie replied, "I don't know why you have to, but I couldn't jump if I had shoes on my feet. Let's ask Duckie."

So Little Jenny her fish, Doggie, and Froggie asked Duckie, "How come I have to wear shoes and you don't?" Duckie kept paddling in the pond, going in circles, swishing her short tail back and forth and seemed to be thinking for a long time. 

Duckie replied, "I don't know why you have to, but I couldn't paddle my feet in the water with shoes on. Let's ask Pony."

So Little Jenny her fish, Doggie, Froggie, and Duckie asked Pony, "How come I have to wear shoes and you don't?" Pony kept standing by the fence and stamped his feet to chase away flies. He seemed to think for a long time.

Pony replied, "I don't know why you have to, but I do have to wear shoes. They're called horse shoes and they protect my feet and keep me from hurting myself." 

Little Jenny looked at her shoes and thought and thought and decided they were important because they protected her feet and they helped her to run faster even though they would keep Doggie from running faster and they would help her to jump higher even though Froggie couldn't jump as high with them. Shoes help to keep her feet dry when it rains and warm when it snows. There were even shoes that helped her to swim, even though they would make it hard for Duckie and fish to swim.

Little Jenny was happy she had shoes. Shoes would not work for most of her animal friends, but they were important for her because they helped her just like they helped Pony.