HOUGHTON MIFFLIN

ISBN-13:978-0-547-02710-4ISBN-10:0-547-02710-9

HOUGHTON MIFFLIN

Online Leveled Books

Level: L

DRA: 24Genre:FolktaleStrategy:Question Skill:Sequence of Events

Word Count: 344

1.3.12

Peacock’s Tailby Patrick Doherty

illustrated by Stephan Daigle

1032738

1_027104_AL_LRSE_CVR_L12_PEACO.indd 1 5/17/10 5:34:34 PM

by Patrick Dohertyillustrated by Stephan Daigle

Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

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ISBN-13: 978-0-547-02710-4ISBN-10: 0-547-02710-9

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Peacock’s TailPeacock’s Tail

2

Long ago, Crow and Peacock

were very good friends. They

looked alike, too. Both birds had

plain white feathers.

One day, the friends went for a

walk to look at the flowers. They

liked all the pretty colors.

3

“Wouldn’t it be nice to have

colored feathers?” asked Crow.

“I know a way to change our

feathers!” Peacock said. “We can

paint them.”

“Okay,” said Crow. “I’ll paint

yours. Then you can paint mine.”

4

Peacock agreed. So Crow

poured some paint out of a can

and dipped his brush in it. Crow

painted Peacock’s feathers blue,

green, and black.

“Paint eyes on my tail feathers

so I can see myself,” Peacock said.

5

So Crow painted eyes on

Peacock’s tail feathers. Peacock

had never seen such a fine display

of feathers! He started to strut

around, showing off his tail.

“I am the most beautiful bird in

the world!” Peacock said.

6

“Now it’s my turn,” said Crow.

But Peacock didn’t want to

paint Crow. He wanted to look at

his own beautiful tail.

So Peacock asked Crow, “Do

you like brown or black?”

“I like black,” Crow said.

7

So Peacock picked up a can

of black paint and poured it on

Crow’s head! Crow could not get

the black paint off his feathers.

Peacock left Crow standing

alone, dripping with paint. Then

Peacock took a trip around the

world to show off his feathers.

8

Crow stayed at home in the

forest. His shiny black feathers

were beautiful, but he still felt sad.

Crow had lost his best friend.

Peacock showed off his feathers

all over the world, but he was

lonely, too. One day he went back

to the forest.

9

Peacock found Crow in the

forest. “I traveled around the

world to show off my beautiful

tail,” Peacock said. “I have been

too proud. I’m sorry.”

“I missed you!” said Crow.

10

“I missed you, too!” cried

Peacock. “When I was away, I

learned an important lesson. Now

I know that pride does not make

you happy!”

Since that day, Crow and

Peacock have been best friends.

11

RespondingTARGET SKILL Sequence of

Events What happened first in the story? What happened

next? What happened last?

Make a chart.

Text to Text Think of a different story that tells why an animal

looks the way it looks. Write

two sentences about the animal

and why it looks that way.

Write About It

12

been

brown

know

never

off

out

own

very

display strut

TARGET SKILL Sequence of Events Tell the order in which things happen.

TARGET STRATEGY Question Ask questions about what you are reading.

GENRE A folktale is a story that is often told by people of a country.

WORDS TO KNOW

LEARN MORE WORDS

HOUGHTON MIFFLIN

ISBN-13:978-0-547-02710-4ISBN-10:0-547-02710-9

HOUGHTON MIFFLIN

Online Leveled Books

Level: L

DRA: 24Genre:FolktaleStrategy:Question Skill:Sequence of Events

Word Count: 344

1.3.12

Peacock’s Tailby Patrick Doherty

illustrated by Stephan Daigle

1032738

1_027104_AL_LRSE_CVR_L12_PEACO.indd 1 5/17/10 5:34:34 PM