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"But where is Cateon

"He was consumed by a cow," Gooney Bird said, "but that's a different story"

"By a cow? You're joking," Mrs Pidgeon said

"No," said Gooney Bird "I' I tell only absolutely true stories"

"Tell it! Tell it!" the children called

"I will," Gooney Bird said "Another day"

4

On Monday, Gooney Bird stood in front of the class when Mrs Pidgeon told her that it was story time The children barely noticed Gooney Bird's clothes, even though she earing a ruffled pinafore, dark blue knee socks, and high-top basketball sneakers The second-graders, and Mrs Pidgeon, too, were all s

The earrings dangled and glittered and were very large

"They're beautiful," Keiko said in an awed voice

"My grandma's house has doorknobs that look like that," Tricia announced "And she has a sparkly chandelier in the dining roorandma is very rich"

"Do you have holes in your ears?" Malcolht into her ears with a needle!"

"I did, too!" Beanie called out "I have pierced ears!"

"So do I," Mrs Pidgeon told the class She turned her head

froold earrings

"No," Gooney Bird said "My earrings screw onto my ears They have little screws that you turn"

Barry Tuckerman thrust his arm into the air and waved it wildly Around him, other children had their hands raised, too

"My mom has pierced ears!" Barry said loudly

"Ben?" Mrs Pidgeon said next

Ben said, "My randeon said "Does anyone else have so to say which is not about pierced ears? Because it is tiin today's story"

All of the hands disappeared except one Chelsea kept her hand high in the air

Mrs Pidgeon sighed "Chelsea?"

"My mom has a pierced nose," Chelsea told the class

"Oh, no!" Keiko wailed "I' to be sick!"

"Shhhh," the other children said

When the class was quiet, Gooney Bird began her Monday story

The Prince, the Palace, and the Dias

Once upon a time, before she moved to Watertohen she still lived in China, Gooney Bird Greene was on her front porch, playing Monopoly against herself Gooney Bird 1, the thimble, owned all four railroads and St Charles Place, which she liked because it wasa harder time of it She owned Atlantic Avenue and Pennsylvania Avenue, and she liked the coreen; she also owned both Water Works and the Electric Company, but unfortunately she was in jail

Suddenly, just as Gooney Bird 2 tried unsuccessfully for the second tiet out of jail, she heard so!"

It was the prince, who lived next door

Hands flew up into the air, and Gooney Bird looked impatiently at her classmates

"Are these really, really important questions?" she asked "Because I have just barely started the story!"

One by one eon had picked up the encyclopedia "Gooney Bird," Mrs Pidgeon said, "I have a feeling you know this already, but Napoleon Bonaparte--" She turned to the class "He was the emperor of France," she explained

"Ooooh," Keiko said "I love e at the encyclopedia, went on "Napoleon was born in 1769 That's eon! Mrs Pidgeon!" Barry Tucker his hand

"Yes, Barry?"

"My grandmother once saw an emperor butterfly! But now it's extinct! It was purple," Barry Tuckerhed "Do you want to hear this story or not?" she asked "I can't wear these earrings all day They're very heavy"

"Yes, we do," Mrs Pidgeon said "Please go on"