byJohnCrispinillustratedbyLizaWoodruffCopyright©byHarcourt,Inc.Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthispublicationmaybereproducedortransmittedinanyformorbyanymeans,electronicormechanical,includingphotocopy,recording,oranyinformationstorageandretrievalsystem,withoutpermissioninwritingfromthepublisher.RequestsforpermissiontomakecopiesofanypartoftheworkshouldbeaddressedtoSchoolPermissionsandCopyrights,Harcourt,Inc.,6277SeaHarborDrive,Orlando,Florida32887-6777.Fax:407-345-2418.HARCOURTandtheHarcourtLogoaretrademarksofHarcourt,Inc.,registeredintheUnitedStatesofAmericaand/orotherjurisdictions.PrintedinChinaISBN10:0-15-350680-6ISBN13:978-0-15-350680-2OrderingOptionsISBN10:0-15-350600-8(Grade3On-LevelCollection)ISBN13:978-0-15-350600-0(Grade3On-LevelCollection)ISBN10:0-15-357901-3(packageof5)ISBN13:978-0-15-357901-1(packageof5)Ifyouhavereceivedthesematerialsasexaminationcopiesfreeofcharge,HarcourtSchoolPublishersretainstitletothematerialsandtheymaynotberesold.Resaleofexaminationcopiesisstrictlyprohibitedandisillegal.Possessionofthispublicationinprintformatdoesnotentitleuserstoconvertthispublication,oranyportionofit,intoelectronicformat.1234567891098512111009080706byJohnCrispinillustratedbyLizaWoodruffCastofCharactersSTORYTELLERMOTHERNATUREPLATYPUSFISHROOSTERRABBITDUCKBEAVERANTPROLOGUESTORYTELLER:Long,longago,allanimalslookedidentical.Theanimalsthoughtthiswashilarious,andtheylovedtoplaytricksonMotherNature.Theylikedtopretendthatoneanimalwasanother.Asyoucanimagine,thiscausedagreatdealoftrouble.3SCENEONESETTING:Aflat,dry,grassyplacewithsomebushesandawaterhole.Aroundthewaterholeistallgrass.ROOSTER,ANT,DUCK,andBEAVERareatthewaterhole.Theyalllookexactlythesame.ANT:MotherNaturetoldmetodigtunnelsformynest.Let’splayatrickonherwhenshearrivestocheckonus.You,Rooster,canpretendtobeme.(ANTwhisperstoROOSTER,whonodsandlaughs.MOTHERNATUREentersStageLeft.)4MOTHERNATURE:(Leansoverandpeersintotheant’snest.)Whatalovelynest,Ant!(ROOSTERburstsoutofthetunnel,crowingandflappinghisarms.MOTHERNATUREleaps...
