Gilbert was a little goat with a very big appetite! He lived on a sunny farm with lots of yummy things to nibble. But Gilbert had a secret weakness: Mrs. Gable’s garden. Mrs. Gable grew the most delicious, bright red tomatoes, and Gilbert *loved* tomatoes more than anything.
Every day, Gilbert would peek over the fence at the garden. Mrs. Gable always told him, “Gilbert, those tomatoes are for everyone to share! You can have one when they are ready.” But Gilbert wanted them *now*! He thought, “Just one little tomato wouldn’t hurt.”
One afternoon, the fence had a little gap. Gilbert wiggled his nose and thought about those juicy tomatoes. He could easily sneak in and have a feast! He took one step, then another… but then he remembered what his mama goat always said: “Good choices make a happy heart.”
Gilbert paused. He imagined Mrs. Gable being sad if she found her tomatoes nibbled. He imagined his friends, the fluffy sheep, wouldn’t want to play with a goat who didn’t listen. He took a deep breath and stepped *away* from the gap in the fence.
Instead, Gilbert went to help Farmer Finn gather apples. It wasn’t as exciting as tomatoes, but it was a good choice. And guess what? Mrs. Gable saw Gilbert helping and smiled! She said, “Gilbert, you are such a helpful goat! As a reward, you can pick *two* ripe tomatoes when they’re ready!”
Gilbert’s eyes lit up! He was so happy he had made the right choice. When the tomatoes were finally ready, they tasted even sweeter knowing he had earned them. He shared one with his best friend, Penelope the sheep, and they both agreed: making good choices is the best recipe for a happy day.
From that day on, Gilbert still loved tomatoes, but he loved making good choices even more. He learned that being patient and responsible brought him more joy than any sneaky snack ever could. And that’s a very happy ending for a little goat!