Season 1, episode 12
Paula enjoys living in the mountains with her dog Bobo and her one hundred and fifty cows. But sometimes her cows wander off and need help getting out of some sticky situations. Paula counts her cows and when they are missing, she looks for them. Paula will do anything to help her cows if they get stuck. She will pull, cut and even sing to help them. Will she be able to help them all?
This simple story is told in the present tense and focuses on the words “needs”, “is missing”, “look for”, “stuck”, “hears”, and “runs”.
THE LOST COWS
There is a woman. Her name is Paula. Paula is a strong, solitary woman. She is not very sociable. Paula doesn’t have many friends because she lives far from civilization. Paula is a rancher. She lives on a ranch in the mountains. Paula has a lot of cows on the ranch. She takes care of the cows. She feeds them. She talks to them. She sings to them. The cows just say, “Moo.”
Paula also has a dog. Paula’s dog is named Bobo. Bobo is a white and black dog. Bobo has a lot of energy. He likes running in the mountains. He likes running after the cows. Paula takes care of her dog. She feeds him. She talks to him. She sings to him. Bobo the dog just says “bow wow.”
Paula and Bobo walk with the cows in the mountains. Paula likes walking with the cows in the mountains. But there is a problem. Sometimes the cows get lost in the trees and Paula doesn’t know where they are.
So Paula counts the cows. She counts the cows in the morning and in the afternoon. She counts the cows to check that all the cows are present.
Paula has 150 cows. In the morning, she walks with her 150 cows to the woods. The cows eat the green grass and are very happy. Paula and Bobo walk in the flowers and breathe the fresh air and are very happy.
In the afternoon it is time to return to the ranch. So Paula counts her cows. she should have 150 cows, but she only counts 147 cows. She is missing three cows! Where are the cows? The cows are lost!
Paula and Bobo look for the three cows. They look in the trees and they look in the green grass. Bobo hears a noise and barks, “bow wow.” Then Bobo runs to the noise. Paula runs after Bobo. Then Paula hears the noise “moo.”
It’s a cow! Paula and Bobo run to the cow. They find the cow in a puddle of mud. The mud is brown and thick. The cow can’t move very well. the cow is stuck in the mud. The cow doesn’t move from the mud.
Paula wants to help the cow. She takes a rope and forms a lasso. Paula throws the lasso over the cow. Then Paula pulls. She pulls and pulls the rope. The cow moves a little. Paula pulls more. Bobo grabs the rope and pulls. Finally the cow is free from the mud! Paula, Bobo, and the cow walk to the group.
Paula counts the cows again. Now she has 148 cows. She is missing two cows! Where are the cows? The cows are lost!
Paula and Bobo look for the two cows. They look in the bushes and they look in the green grass. Bobo hears a noise and barks, “bow wow.” Then Bobo runs to the noise. Paula runs after Bobo. Then Paula hears the noise too, “moo.”
It’s a cow! Paula and Bobo run to the cow. They find the cow in a tree. The branches of the tree trap the cow. The cow can’t move very well. The cow is trapped in the tree. The cow doesn’t move from the tree.
Paula wants two help the cow. She takes a knife. Paula uses the knife and cuts the branches of the tree. She cuts and cuts the tree. The cow moves a little. Paula cuts more. Bobo grabs and moves the branches. Finally the cow is free from the tree! Paula, Bobo, and the cow walk to the group.
Paula counts the cows again. Now she has 149 cows. She is missing one cows! Where is the cow? The cow is lost!
Paula and Bobo look for the cow. They look in the bushes and trees. They look in the green grass and in the mud. Bobo hears a noise and barks, “bow wow.” Then Bobo runs to the noise. Paula runs after Bobo. Then Paula hears the noise too, “moo.”
It’s a cow! Paula and Bobo run to the cow. They find the cow in the grass. The cow is perfectly fine. The cow is not stuck in the mud or trapped in a tree. But there is a problem. he cow doesn’t move. Paula touches the cow, but it doesn’t move. Paula pulls the cow, but it doesn’t move. Paula pushes the cow, but it doesn’t move. Bobo barks at the cow, but it doesn’t move.
“What is your problem, cow?” Paula says.
“Mooooo!” the cow responds.
“Bow wow!” Bobo barks.
Paula observes the cow, then Paula understands. Paula wants to help the cow. She touches the cow softly. Paula sings softly to the cow. After a few minutes, the cow moves a little and Paula is happy.
Paula looks at the green grass behind the cow. In the green grass there is a small baby, a calf. The calf looks at Paula with big eyes and says, “moo.”
The calf stands up and walks to its mom. Paula, Bobo, the cow, and the calf walk to the group. Paula counts the cows again. Now she has 151 cows. She isn’t missing a cow, she has an extra cow!
The end.
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