Poncho and the

Red Leaf

Poncho thought red leaves were prettier than green leaves. Poncho is a praying mantis. A praying mantis is an insect. Do you know what an insect is? It is a bug.

(Show picture of praying mantis or pull out finger puppet and introduce Poncho.)

One day Poncho was sitting on a small pale green leaf. Poncho's mother had told him to stay right there and not move an inch while she was gone.

"I wonder what she is doing," Poncho thought to himself as he stared at the bright red leaves on the next bush. "I could jump real high and land on that red leaf right over there. Then I could feel those bumpy red leaves on my feet. And, after a minute, I could jump again and be back on this green leaf before my mom gets home. She will never know."

Poncho's mother had given him strict instructions to stay put.

Do you know what "strict instructions" means? It means she meant it a lot. Poncho was NOT supposed to leave the bush with the light green leaves. But Poncho was not thinking about staying put. He was thinking about something else. Do you know what he was thinking about? He was thinking about that big red leaf just one easy jump away.

"I know I can make it in one leap," Poncho thought. "I am the best jumper ever!"

Poncho stared and stared at those red leaves. They looked so much better than the plain green one he was sitting on.

"I'm jumping!" Poncho decided. First he squatted down a little. Then he wiggled his tail. He swung his head as far as he could to the right. Then he swung his head as far as he could to the left. Then he looked straight ahead and jumped. He was such a good jumper that he made it in one smooth leap. He landed flat on that beautiful red leaf. Poncho fluttered his wings a little. It felt so good to be on a pretty color.

Poncho thought he looked much more handsome on that red leaf. He stretched his long neck and looked around.

"I wonder if anyone can see how good I look on this red leaf?" Poncho asked out loud.

"I can see how good you look," a voice answered.

"Hello!" Poncho called out. "Who are you? Where are you?"

"I am right above you," the voice said.

Poncho tilted his head up to see who was talking to him. As he did, the red leaf shook. Poncho fluttered his wings to keep from falling. All of a sudden two round eyes and a great big beak popped right in front of Poncho's face.

"Ahhhh!" Poncho screamed. The leaves on the bush started shaking again. The bird looked away for a second and Poncho heard his mother's voice yell "Jump, Poncho!"

Poncho jumped. He didn’t wiggle his tail. He didn’t swing his head to the right or to the left. He just jumped. Poncho jumped as high and as strong as he could. He jumped off of that bumpy red leaf and landed back on the smooth light green leaf.

In just a few minutes the red bush stopped shaking and Poncho's mother landed on a leaf next to him.

"I told you to stay put, Poncho. Why did you disobey?"

"Uhhhhh," Poncho was sorry for not listening to his mother.

"I told you to stay here so you were safe."

"I know, Mom."

Poncho was sorry he disobeyed. He decided he would always do what his mother told him to do. Always. He might be a good jumper, but he didn’t want his heart to jump like it was jumping right now. And he didn’t want his mom to look at him like she was looking at him right now. Ever again.

The end.