Sophie the Chatterbox Read Free

George Washington cut one down,” she said.
    “Oh, that!” The ranger chuckled. “You’re talking about the famous story, aren’t you?”
    “Yes, I am!” Sophie said.
    “Well, I’m afraid that’s just a story. We’re pretty sure that it’s not true,” the ranger said.
    Huh?
Sophie thought.

    “What do you mean?” she asked. “Why would someone make up a lie to show that George Washington was honest?”
    Ranger Fawn shrugged. “That’s a good question.”
    Thank you,
Sophie thought.
    “Well, are there any
true
stories that show how honest he was?” she asked.
    The ranger rubbed her chin. “Hmmm … not that I can think of,” she said. “But that doesn’t mean that George wasn’t an honest man.”
    Sophie shook her head, but she stood up straighter. She still could not believe that George Washington had never—ever—cut down a cherry tree. But she bet he would have if he could have. And he would have told his dad, of course.
    “So, who wants to see the kitchen now?” Ranger Fawn asked.
    Sophie raised her hand. “Not me!” she said. She was getting tired of little buildings. “I’d rather go out to the pasture and pet the sheep. Or can we eat lunch now? I’d really like to do that. I have egg salad. And it’s kind of hot. And I don’t want it to
    go bad. One time I ate a tuna sandwich that was bad, and I got really sick. All over the place.”
    A few kids giggled.
    Ranger Fawn looked down at Sophie. “I see,” she said. “But all your lunches are in a cooler. So I think they’ll be okay. And I know you’ll like what we do next. Are there any questions before we move on?” she asked.
    Dean raised his hand.
    “Yes?” Ranger Fawn said.
    “What’s your favorite TV show?” Dean asked.
    The ranger smiled again. “I really meant are there
history
questions….”
    She looked at the class. They all looked back at her and shook their heads.
    “No? Then let’s go to the kitchen,” Ranger Fawn said. Her eyes twinkled as she turned to Dean. “And I really like dancing shows,” she added.

R anger Fawn led Sophie’s class down another brick path. They came to another little white house and walked in. It reminded Sophie of something….
    But what?
    Then it hit her. The Seven Dwarfs’ cottage!
    Inside was a big table. On it were jugs and wooden bowls. Along one wall was a big fireplace. An orange fire glowed inside.
    “Look!” Sophie told Kate. She pointed to a stick broom. “It’s just like the one that Snow White used.”
    “This is George Washington’s kitchen,” Ranger Fawn told the class. “As you can see, it is in a separate building. Do you know why the kitchen was so far from the main house?”
    Sophie bit her lip. Usually, she would have said something like “Because they forgot the kitchen when they built the house?” or “So when George Washington’s dad made egg salad, it didn’t stink up the house?”
    But Sophie had to be honest. So when Ranger Fawn pointed at her, she shook her head. “No, I don’t know at all!” she said.
    The ranger smiled and pointed to Kate next.
    “So when George’s babysitter made stuffed cabbage, it didn’t stink up the house?” Kate said.
    Ranger Fawn laughed. “I don’t think George’s babysitter made stuffed cabbage. But yes. To keep smells out of the house. That was one reason,” she said.
    Sophie could not believe it. “I almost said that!” she almost said.
    “But there is another reason, too. Can anyone guess?” Ranger Fawn went on.
    Sophie raised her hand. Yes. Sure! She could guess.
    But Ranger Fawn did not point at her again. She pointed at Mindy instead.
    “I know! I know!” Mindy said. “It was so the fire didn’t make the house too hot in the summer. Or burn it down.”
    “Right-o,” Ranger Fawn said.
    Mindy took a little bow. “I learned that the last time I was here,” she said.
    Sophie rolled her eyes. She wondered if Mindy was
trying
to make her sick.
    “What else do you see that’s different from