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One day the Gumbie Cat, Jennyanydots, was working in her garden when she found a grain of wheat.
"Which of you will help me plant the wheat?" she asked the kittens.
"Not, I," said Victoria, "I don't want to get my white coat dirty."
"Not, I," said Jemima, "I have to get in touch with my inner self."
"Not, I," said Electra, "I need to follow Munkustrap around a make a pest of myself."
"I will help you, Jennyanydots," Etcetera said. So she helped Jennyanydots plant the wheat.
After some time the wheat grew tall and ripe.
"Which of you will help me cut the wheat?" Jennyanydots asked.
"Not, I," said Victoria, "I don't want to get my white coat dirty."
"Not, I," said Jemima, "I have to get in touch with my inner self."
"Not, I," said Electra, "I need to follow Munkustrap around a make a pest of myself."
"I will help you, Jennyanydots," Etcetera said. So she helped Jennyanydots cut the wheat.
"Now, which of you will help me thresh the wheat?" Jennyanydots asked.
"Not, I," said Victoria, "I don't want to get my white coat dirty."
"Not, I," said Jemima, "I have to get in touch with my inner self."
"Not, I," said Electra, "I need to follow Munkustrap around a make a pest of myself."
"I will help you, Jennyanydots," Etcetera said. So she helped Jennyanydots thresh the wheat.
When the wheat was threshed, Jennyanydots asked, "Which of you will help me take the wheat to the mill to have it ground into flour?"
"Not, I," said Victoria, "I don't want to get my white coat dirty."
"Not, I," said Jemima, "I have to get in touch with my inner self."
"Not, I," said Electra, "I need to follow Munkustrap around a make a pest of myself."
"I will help you, Jennyanydots," Etcetera said. So she helped Jennyanydots take the wheat to the mill.
When the wheat was ground into flour, Jennyanydots asked, "Which of you will help me make this flour into bread?"
"Not, I," said Victoria, "I don't want to get my white coat dirty."
"Not, I," said Jemima, "I have to get in touch with my inner self."
"Not, I," said Electra, "I need to follow Munkustrap around a make a pest of myself."
"I will help you, Jennyanydots," Etcetera said. So she helped Jennyanydots bake a lovely loaf of bread.
Then Jennyanydots asked, "Which of you will help me eat this bread?"
"Oh! I will," said Victoria.
"Oh! I will," said Jemima.
"Oh! I will," said Electra.
"Oh, no, you won't!" said Jennyanydots, "you three didn't help at any point. Etcetera, since you helped me you may have some of the bread." So Jennyanydots and Etcetera ate the bread while Victoria, Jemima, and Electra had none.