“Layla Steals a Donkey” By: Lana Radi

“Help!”
Shouted the farmer.

“Quick!
Sound the alarm!”

“Someone stole Donkey!

He was here on the farm.”

“Who stole Donkey?

Grab the sheriff from town!”

The grumpy, old farmer jumped up and down.

With a big, temper tantrum,

and a cry and a roar,
he stamped and he hollered,
“Bring the police to my door!”

As they searched for some clues as to where can he be,

Layla’s eyes filled with mischief,
“They’ll never catch me!”

Why is Layla so stubborn?

Why is Layla so bold?
Why doesn’t she listen,
and simply do as she’s told?

Lucky for Layla,

She’s friends with Queen Bee.
The hive kept her secret
from high in the tree.

The bees testified,

“There’s nothing to see.”
They’re too
Bizzy
Buzzing
making honey.

Winning the Cake Bake,

Cow was over the
Mooooon
as she sat in her kitchen
“Layla Steals a Donkey” By: Lana Radi

at half past noon.

With her little dairy-airre
Mooooving
in no great hurry,
Cow stacked a plate tall
with her award-winning cookies.

She turned on the stove

to warm some milk in a pot.
Has Cow seen Donkey?
No.
She certainly has not.

Did Horse steal Donkey?

Of course, Horse nickered,
“Neeeigh!”
After counting the sheep,
he fell asleep in the hay.

“Where have you been?”

They quizzed the crafty wee cat.
“Why little, old
Meeeeow
had some cat nip, then a nap.”

Rooster arrived crowing,

“¡Qui-Quiri-Quí! … Qué pasò!?”

“Who stole Donkey?”

“I Cock-A-Doodle-Doo NOT know.”

Each morning, Rooster stood

beneath her window till night.
He serenaded Layla.
It was love at first sight.

But his song was cut short

when his guitar snapped a string.
With his amigo gone missing,
he’s too sad to sing.

Instead of
“KuKu-KooKoo!”
or
“Layla Steals a Donkey” By: Lana Radi

“Kikeriki!”
Today, Rooster strummed a sad
“Wo – Wo – Woe is me!”

Rooster spoke languages

while Sheep only knew one.
When asked about Donkey,
he said, “Cat’s got my tongue.”

Sheep’s only alibi

since he had not much to say,
“I was down at the
Baaaarn
where I spent most of my day.”

“Check in with the chickens,”

Sheep replied to the cops.
“Now, I am late for a snip
down at the
Baaa Baaar shop.”

Being the clever, young

math-ma-chickens they are,
Ma’s little chicks
never strayed very far.

Ma and her youngin’

were down by the coop,
busy counting the eggs
and sweeping the stoop.

“Mum’s the word.

You won’t hear a
Peep
or a sound.
We won’t say a word
until Donkey is found.”

High aloft in the trees,

the birds chirped with a flutter.
They
Twittered
and
Tweeted,
“Layla Steals a Donkey” By: Lana Radi

But not one word did they utter.

Layla stole Donkey.

They all knew who it was.
But they all kept her secret
simply because….

Layla is stubborn.
Layla is bold.
She doesn’t always listen
or do as she’s told.

Layla is also
loyal and kind.
When help is needed,
she’s not far behind.

Strong, brave, and fearless,

Layla puts up a fight.
When the world is all wrong,
she’ll do what is right.

So, reeling quite fearless,

a bit brave,
a bit bold,
Layla decided the truth had to be told.

Every day, on her walks,

Layla passes the barn and the sty.
She greets her farm friends,
and they all reply…

with a Baaaa!
or a Maaaa!
or a Mooo!

with a Chirp!
or a Cluck!
or a Cock-A-Doodle-Doo!
“Layla Steals a Donkey” By: Lana Radi

They all
Grrr
and they
Purr.
They
Bow-Wow
and
Meow.

Every day,
they say,
“Neigh!”

They said,
“Hi!”
“Hello!”
“Hey!”

But when poor, little Donkey,

only said,
“Hee…”
Layla knew something was wrong.
The others just couldn’t see.

A happy donkey laugh,

And play joyfully.
But, instead of, “Hee! - Haa!”
Donkey sadly sighed, “Hee…”

“Now do you see

why I took Donkey home.
He was left in the field,
all day, all alone!’

“Without any shade,

he could barely wheeze, “Hee..”
He was thirsty and hot,
so, I took him with me.”

“Ah-HAAA!”
cried the farmer.
“We have her confession!
LAYLA stole Donkey!
Jail will teach you a lesson!”
“Layla Steals a Donkey” By: Lana Radi

Fuming with fury,

Farmer shouted and roared.
But when his temper faded,
tears started to pour.

He made a mistake
and felt guilty and sad.
Neglecting poor Donkey
made him feel very bad.

“Layla’s right,” said the farmer,

“If truth be told.”
“My farm is very big,
and I’m getting quite old.”

“When my bones become creaky,

I become cranky.
Sometimes I’m too tired
to look after Donkey.”

“I can help on the farm,”

Layla volunteered.
With her promise to help,
Farmer’s tears turned to cheer.

With a sigh of relief and a happy,

“Hee! Hee!”
The once grumpy, old farmer
now laughed cheerfully.

From that hot summer day,

and every day after,
the farm and the town
were chock-full of laughter.

Everywhere that you go,

you hear,
“Hee! Ha! Ha! HAAAAA!”
All thanks to the brave girl
known to all as Layla.

Layla who’s stubborn.

Layla who’s bold.
“Layla Steals a Donkey” By: Lana Radi

Layla who’s brave,

whose heart’s made of gold.