One sunny afternoon, a little red wagon stood in a playground. Its name was Wendy, and Wendy felt sad. All the children played games and skipped rope or fed the little kittens with milk—all the children but one.
You see, this one little girl was told “No,” whenever she asked to use the wagon; this one little girl cried over Wendy as she said, “Oh dear, everybody else has something to ride in, a doll carriage or a pony, and oh dear! I wish I had.”
Then two little boys came along and said, “Let’s take our trains out up by the big stones.” They took the trains out of their play-houses and each boy sat down on a tricycle.
“Oh dear! oh dear!” cried the little girl who was wishing for a ride; “why can’t I have a ride, too. If I could have only a ride on a tricycle or something, I should not mind if Wendy stays all alone down there.”
So the little girl went and stood by the two boys and said, “I want a ride!”
But the boys said “No.” They did not want any girls to play with them.
Now all this time some other boys were watching and listening and Joey said, “I have a string to my kite. Here, will that do?” So he tied it fast to Wendy, and off he sailed, both the kite, up in the air, and Wendy along the ground.
The other boys had no kite strings or anything else to tie to her, but they took hold of the cross-board at the end of her tongue and helped Joey pull her along.
Then that little girl’s heart felt warm and happy, for she had her rides ever so many times—so many rides that she forgot all her other wishes.
Many pairs of children played with Wendy that sunny afternoon and gave her a good many rides and afterwards they all came and sat down together to rest. Then all at once the little girl saw that she was crying. Why, dear me! What could be the matter? Did not all the children have the fun-lovingest good times with Wendy that afternoon? Perhaps they did but it is hard ever to know just how to be happy.
And all at once the little girl said, “O, dear! I want a doll.”
You see many children were very washes too, and as far as they could not think and think and think. To their little hearts, they wanted another doll to play with, one they could love each other. And every little doll that day and Wield or something new to live in all the children’s beds that night.
For sharing brings joy to everyone.
And three cheers for the little red wagons that can be found at any store or in any children’s yard!