Good evening, children.

It's Granny Madduff, ready with a story.

So make yourselves comfy, and I'll begin.

Once upon a time, there lived a little old woman.

She had bought a sack of beans at market and decided to cook them for her supper.

So the little old woman put a handful of straw on the hearth and lit it. Then she put the

beans in the pan. But one did not fall into the pan. Instead, the bean fell on the floor next to a piece of straw.

Only a moment later, a small burning coal rolled out from the fire next to the other two.

The straw spoke first.

Dear friends, where do you come from?

He asked.

I come from the fire, said the coal.

And how lucky I am.

For if I had not rolled out,

I surely would be burned into ashes by now.

I too was lucky, said the bean.

I fell from the bag as the old woman was putting all of us into the pot.

Had she seen me fall, I surely would be soup by now.

Lucky indeed, the straw added, as was I, for it was all of our straw that was used to start the fire, but I was lucky enough to slip through her fingers.

What do we do now?

Ask the coal.

Well, I believe, since we've escaped such a terrible fate,

...