Ned Needs a New Coat UFLI Foundations Lesson 96

Ned was a farmer. He had pigs. He had cows. He had a farmhouse and wide, green grounds. But Ned had a problem. 'I want to look outstanding,' he told The Book. 'Farmers can be proud of how they look, too.'

Ned spent all week making a suit in his shop. He held it up, and his smile fell. 'It's brown,' he said. 'Just brown. I look like a muddy potato.' 'You could dye it,' said The Book. 'How hard could it be?'

The Book sent Ned outside, where red flowers and yellow flowers grew tall from the ground. 'Pick some of each,' said The Book. 'I have a plan.' Ned took some red ones and some yellow ones. 'This had better not end up brown again,' he said.

Back in the shop, The Book gave its first order. 'Crush the red flower. Pound it hard.' Ned pounded and pounded. Bright red dye oozed out between his fingers like jam. 'Now rub it into the suit,' said The Book. Ned spread the dye all around the suit. Brown was gone. Red bloomed. Ned gasped.

Ned put on the red suit and looked down at himself. His face scrunched up. 'I look like a grouchy tomato,' he said. 'Red is too loud. I'm shouting and I'm not even trying.' 'Try the yellow flower,' said The Book. 'Red is bold, but see what yellow can do.'

Ned crushed the yellow flower. Golden dye spread around the table like melted butter. 'Wow,' said The Book. 'That is a fine golden dye.' Ned worked it into a fresh suit until every bit turned bright, sunny yellow.

Ned put on the yellow suit. He looked down. He looked up. He looked down again. 'I look like a big lemon,' he said. 'A big, round, walking lemon. In shoes.' 'It is quite bright,' said The Book. 'Not that color!' said Ned.

Ned slumped at his table. One red flower and one yellow flower sat beside him. Ned crushed them both without trying very hard. Then Ned pushed the two piles together. The red and yellow swirled and mixed. A bold, new color spread out like a sunrise. Ned's eyes went wide. 'What is that?' he said.

Ned worked the new dye into a fresh suit so fast his hands were a blur. It turned bright, rich orange. He put it on, looked down, looked up, and did a little spin. 'That is the color!' he shouted. 'Not too loud, not too lemon. Orange is perfect.' 'Glad it only took you all day,' said The Book.

The next morning, Ned started making stand after stand after stand. 'Why are you making so many?' asked The Book. Ned just smiled a sneaky smile. He took the stands outside one by one and lined them up against the farmhouse wall. 'You will see,' he said.

Ned went back outside and picked every flower he could find. He crushed and mixed and dyed all day long. Red, blue, green, yellow, and purple: each suit glowed bright on its stand. 'Come one, come all,' said Ned, spreading his arms wide, 'to Ned's Grand Show!' The Book tried not to look proud. It failed.

That night, Ned prowled outside in his orange suit, blade swinging. Every monster out there could see him coming. He glowed like a walking sunset. 'Isn't that a bit... easy to spot?' called The Book from the doorway. Ned gave a wide grin. 'If you are going to fight monsters, you might as well look outstanding doing it.'