Lenny was a lazy fellow. Her family and her teachers were exasperated with her. She woke up late, dressed in a slovenly way, had her breakfast, spilling things on the table, and forgot to do her homework. Her bed was in a mess, and all her clothes and toys too lay in a mess in his room.
One day, the toys watched her tired mother cleaning up her room and muttering to herself, “This girl! If only there was some way to change her!”
The toys felt very sorry for her and decided that they should try to help. That day, the toys held a meeting. A tattered brown teddy bear was the Chairman. Around him sat the others—a sailor doll with one shoe; a pirate with a patch; a mouse with a key; a motor car with the red paint peeling off; a train engine with funnel; and a clock with the face of a clown.
They felt very dejected because no one had any idea what to do. Then the mouse suddenly sat up.
“I know what will work!” he said the clock.
The mouse was clever. He suggested, “Every time Lenny tries to be lazy, you must ring and go on ringing till he realizes what she has to do!”
So, the attack of the toys began the next morning. The clock began to ring loudly. Lenny awoke with a start and tried to turn off the clock. But the ringing wouldn’t stop. Lenny dragged herself to the bathroom, brushed and washed. The clock rang again.
She ran down to breakfast and suddenly she could hear the clock again. She picked her bag up and ran to the bus. The driver was surprised. Lenny had arrived before he blew the horn!
That day, Lenny was very sleepy in school, but there were lessons to be done! She finally got home, wanting to sleep, but the clock went off again!
‘O, dear!’ thought Lenny, ‘I’ll bathe and change and finish my homework.’
Mummy was surprised when she saw Lenny doing her homework. That night, she was at the table in time for dinner, her hair combed, her shirt tucked in and not a drop splashed on the table. Papa and Mummy were terribly amazed!
Something had happened and they didn’t know that the toys had worked all this magic! Lenny’s room was very clean and so was Lenny. Her teacher found that her homework was done. And Lenny got the first prize in her entire school.
