00:00The
00:27Store-Bought Doll by Lois Meyer, illustrated by Ruth Sanderson.
00:35Once there was a girl named Christina who lived on a farm with her mother and father.
00:44Christina had a red and white rubber ball.
00:47She had a jump rope and a calico bean bag.
00:51Best of all, she had a rag doll named Lucy that her mother had made for her.
01:00Every morning, Christina helped milk the cow and feed the chickens.
01:08Then she helped dry the dishes and sweep the kitchen.
01:15And every afternoon, Christina played with Lucy.
01:20She gave Lucy rides in the old wheelbarrow.
01:24She had tea parties with Lucy.
01:26They used walnut shells for cups and little flat rocks for pretend cookies.
01:35She climbed the apple tree with Lucy and told her special secrets.
01:43And every night, after she ate supper and had a bath, Christina took Lucy to bed with
01:49her.
01:50She hugged Lucy and held her tight until they both fell asleep.
01:58One day, a man came to Christina's house.
02:01He was wearing a fine suit and a silk tie.
02:05I'm having trouble with my automobile, he told Christina's father.
02:10May I borrow some tools?
02:15Of course, said Christina's father.
02:18Maybe I can help you, too.
02:20He got his toolbox from the shed, and he and the man went down to the road to fix the car.
02:29A little while later, Christina's father and the man drove up in a shiny automobile.
02:35Thank you again, said the man as Christina's father got out of the car.
02:40Glad I could help, said Christina's father.
02:47The next day, the man in the automobile came back.
02:51You were so kind to help me yesterday, he said.
02:54I wanted to give you something in return, so I brought a present for your little girl.
03:02It was a porcelain doll.
03:05It had blue eyes that opened and closed, and silky yellow hair, and rosy cheeks and lips.
03:12It had on a pink satin dress with pearl buttons, and real leather slippers.
03:18Christina could hardly believe her eyes.
03:21It's so beautiful, she said.
03:24I never had a real store-bought doll before.
03:27Oh, thank you!
03:32While the grown-ups sat on the porch and drank lemonade, Christina ran off to play with her
03:37new doll.
03:39She left Lucy lying in a heap on the steps.
03:46Christina brushed the doll's silky yellow hair.
03:50She unbuttoned all the pearl buttons on the pink dress.
03:54Then she buttoned them up again.
03:59She rocked the doll in her arms and watched its eyes close and open.
04:08But she couldn't give the porcelain doll a ride in the wheelbarrow because she was afraid
04:13the pink satin dress would get dirty.
04:16She couldn't have a tea party with the porcelain doll because she was afraid the walnut shells
04:21and rock cookies would scratch its rosy cheeks and lips.
04:29And she couldn't climb the apple tree with the porcelain doll because she was afraid
04:33the doll would fall and break.
04:39Late in the afternoon, Christina stood on the porch with her mother and father and waved
04:44goodbye to the kind man as he drove away.
04:51And that night, after she ate supper and had a bath, Christina put the beautiful new doll
04:57in a corner of her room.
04:59Then she crept downstairs and picked up her dear old Lucy.
05:04She took Lucy up to bed and held her tighter than ever until they both fell asleep.
05:14If you enjoyed that story, please give it a thumbs up so more little kiddos can see
05:19it.
05:20Till next time!
