童话故事|Counting Chickens

It was^{1 Mary's birthday. She received2 a letter from her uncle who was a farmer.}

Dear Mary, the letter said^3.

Happy Birthday. I am sending you some chickens. They will arrive tomorrow. I hope^{4 you like them. Best wishes, Uncle Toby.}

Mary was very pleased^{5. She liked eating eggs and she liked eating chicken. I can keep the chickens for their eggs or eat them, she thought6.}

When the chickens arrived the next day, they were in a box.

Mary was very excited^{7. She took8 the box off9 the back of the truck and began to carry it into her garden.}

However^{10, the box of chickens was heavy and she dropped it.}

The box fell^{11 to the ground12 and broke13. The chickens all ran14 out.}

They ran everywhere -- into neighbors^{15' gardens, into the road, into shops, even16 into the next street. Mary spent hours trying to find them and take them back to her garden.}

A few^{17 days later18 her uncle came19 to visit her.}

Did^{20 the chickens arrive safely21? he asked Mary.}

Yes, Uncle Toby, Mary said. But I had^{22 a lot of trouble23 with them. I dropped the box. It broke open and the chickens ran everywhere. I spent the whole24 morning looking for them.}

Did you find them all? her uncle asked.

I hope so, Mary replied^{25. I caught eleven of them.}

That's very interesting, her uncle said with a smile, because I only sent you six.