The Enormous Turnip

Once upon a time, in a village, there lived an old grandfather. One spring morning he went out into his garden, dug the soil and planted a turnip seed. As he planted it, he said: "Grow, little turnip, grow! Grow sweet, grow big, grow strong!"

And the turnip grew. How it grew! All summer the sun shone and the rain fell, and the turnip grew bigger and bigger. It grew sweet, it grew big, it grew strong; it grew so enormous that its leaves were taller than the grandfather.

When autumn came, the grandfather went to pull up the turnip. He took hold of its leaves and pulled and pulled... but he could not pull it up.

The grandfather called the grandmother. The grandmother held on to the grandfather, and the grandfather held on to the turnip. They pulled and pulled... but they could not pull it up.

The grandmother called their granddaughter. The granddaughter held on to the grandmother, the grandmother held on to the grandfather, and the grandfather held on to the turnip. They pulled and pulled... but they could not pull it up.

The granddaughter called the dog. The dog held on to the granddaughter, the granddaughter held on to the grandmother, the grandmother held on to the grandfather, and the grandfather held on to the turnip. They pulled and pulled... but they could not pull it up.

The dog called the cat. The cat held on to the dog, the dog held on to the granddaughter, the granddaughter held on to the grandmother, the grandmother held on to the grandfather, and the grandfather held on to the turnip. They pulled and pulled... but still they could not pull it up.

Then the cat called the mouse. It was a tiny little mouse, with trembling whiskers and a thin little tail. Everyone looked at her and laughed: "You're going to help?" The mouse did not mind at all. The mouse held on to the cat, the cat held on to the dog, the dog held on to the granddaughter, the granddaughter held on to the grandmother, the grandmother held on to the grandfather, and the grandfather held on to the turnip.

All together, one, two, three, they pulled and pulled... and pop! Out of the ground came the turnip! They all tumbled over at once: the grandfather on top of the grandmother, the grandmother on top of the granddaughter, the granddaughter on top of the dog, the dog on top of the cat, and the cat on top of the mouse. But the mouse was quick and jumped out of the way.

They all laughed and laughed. That evening the grandmother made such a soup from the enormous turnip that the whole village had enough to eat. And they gave the mouse the very best piece, because the turnip had come out with her last pull.

This tale tells us: when we work together, even the hardest job becomes easy. And nobody's help is too small; sometimes the biggest job is finished by the smallest hand.