Curious-George

ThisisGeorge.HelivedinAfrica.Hewasagoodlittlemonkeyandalwaysverycurious.OnedayGeorgesawaman.Hehadonalargeyellowstrawhat.ThemansawGeorge,too.Whatanicelittlemonkey,hethought,Iwouldliketotakehimhomewithme.Themanputhishatontheground,andofcourseGeorgewascurious.Hecamedownfromthetreetolookatthelargeyellowhat.Thehathadbeenontheman’shead.Georgethoughtitwouldbenicetohaveitonhisownhead.Hepickeditupandputiton.ThehatcoveredGeorge’shead.Hecouldn’tsee.Themanpickedhimupquicklyandpoppedhimintoabag.Georgewascaught.ThemanwiththebigyellowhatputGeorgeintoalittleboat,andasailorrowedthembothacrossthewatertoabigship.Georgewassad,buthewasstillalittlecurious.Onthebigship,thingsbegantohappen.Themantookoffthebag.Georgesatonalittlestoolandthemansaid,George,IamgoingtotakeyoutoabigZooinabigcity.Youwilllikeitthere.Nowrunalongandplay,butdon’tgetintotrouble.Georgepromisedtobegood.Butitiseasyforlittlemonkeystoforget.Onthedeckhefoundsomeseagulls.Hewonderedhowtheycouldfly.Hewasverycurious.FinallyheHADtotry.Itlookedeasy.But--oh,whathappened!Firstthis–andthenthis!WHEREISGEORGE?Thesailorslookedandlooked.Atlasttheysawhimstrugglinginthewater,andalmostalltiredout.Manoverboard!thesailorscriedastheythrewhimalifebelt.Georgecaughtitandheldon.Atlasthewassafeonboard.Afterthat,Georgewasmorecarefultobeagoodmonkey,untilatlastthelongtripwasover.Georgesaidgood-bytothekindsailors,andheandthemanwiththeyellowhatwalkedofftheshipontotheshoreandonintothecitytotheman’shouse.Afteragoodmealandagoodpipe,Georgefeltverytired.Hecrawledintobedandfellasleepatonce.ThenextmorningthemantelephonedtheZoo.Georgewatchedhim.Hewasfascinated.Thenthemanwentaway.Georgewascurious.Hewantedtotelephone,too.One,two,three,four,five,six,seven.Whatfun!DING-A-LING-A-LING!GEORGEHADTELEPHONEDTHEFIRESTATION!Thefiremenrushedtothetelephone.Hello!Hello!theysaid.Buttherewasnoanswer.Thentheylookedforthesignalonthebigmapthatshowedwherethetelephonecallhadcomefrom.Theydidn’tknowitwasGEORGE.Theythoughtitwasarealfire.HURRY!HURRY!HURRY!Thefiremenjumpedontothefireenginesandontothehook-and-ladders.Ding-dong-ding-dong.Everyoneoutoftheway!Hurry!Hurry!Hurry!Thefiremenrushedintothehouse.Theyopenedthedoor.NOFIRE!ONLYanaughtylittlemonkey.Oh,catchhim,catchhim,theycried.Georgetriedtorunaway.Healmostdid,buthegotcaughtinthetelephonewire,and-athinfiremancaughtonearmandafatfiremancaughttheother.YoufooledtheFireDepartment,theysaid.Wewillhavetoshutyouupwhereyoucan’tdoanymoreharm.Theytookhimawayandshuthiminaprison.Georgewantedtogetout.Heclimbeduptothewindowtotrythebars.Justthenthewatchmancamein.HegotonthewoodenbedtocatchGeorge.Butthewatchmanwastoobigandheavy.Thebedtippedup,thewatchmanfellover,and,quickaslightning,Georgeranoutthroughtheopendoor.Hehurriedthroughthebuildingandoutontotheroof.Andthenhewasluckytobeamonkey.Outhewalkedontothetelephonewires.Quicklyandquietlyovertheguard’shead,Georgewalkedaway.Hewasfree!Downinthestreet,outsidetheprisonwall,stoodaballoonman.Alittlegirlboughtaballoonforherbrother.Georgewatched.Hewascuriousagain.HefeltheMUSThaveabrightredballoon.Hereachedoverandtriedtohelphimself,but-insteadofoneballoon,thewholebunchbrokeloose.Inaninstantthewindwhiskedthemallawayand,withthem,wentGeorge,holdingtightwithbothhands.Up,uphesailed,higherandhigher.Thehouseslookedliketoyhousesandthepeoplelikedolls.Georgewasfrightened.Heheldonverytight.Atfirstthewindblewingreatgusts.Thenitquieted.Finallyitstoppedblowingaltogether.Georgewasverytired.Down,downhewent-bump,ontothetopofatrafficlight.Everyonewassurprised.Thetrafficgotallmixedup.Georgedidn’tknowwhattodo,andthenheheardsomeonecall,GEORGE!Helookeddownandsawhisfriend,themanwiththebigyellowhat!Georgewasveryhappy.Themanwashappy,too.Georgesliddownthepost,andthemanwiththebigyellowhatputhimunderhisarm.Thenhepaidtheballoonmanforalltheballoons.AndthenGeorgeandthemanclimbedintothecar,andatlastawaytheywenttotheZOO!WhataniceplaceforGeorgetolive!