A Long time ago there were no houses and people lived in caves.
Stanley lived in a cave,
but he did not like it.
The cave was cold.
So Stanley was cold.
His head hurt because he had to sleep with it on a rock.
Bats flew around as though they owned the place.
"Why can't we find a better way to live?"asked Stanley.
"This is good enough for us," said the other cavemen. "Why isn't it good enough for you?"
The cavemen carried clubs. They were very tough.
Stanley was tough,too.
But he liked to plant seeds in the ground and watch them grow.
He liked to paint pictures.
He liked to be nice to people.
He was kind to animals.
The other cavemen did not want Stanley to act this way.
"Can't you act more like a cavemen?"they asked.
Stanley did not answer.
He went on planting seeds and painting pictures.
He went on being kind to animals and nice to people.
He even started saying things like "Please,"and "Thank you,"and "Lovely day today, isn't it?"
This made the other cavemen very angry.
"You can't live here," they said.
"Beat it!"
They threw rocks at Stanley and chased him away.
"We're sorry you lost your cave," said the animals.
"I don't care," said Stanley."It was cold anyway."
He looked for a place to live.
"You can't live in a nest," said the birds.
"You can't live in the water," said the fish.
"You can't live in the ground," said a worm.
"Maybe I can live in a tree," said Stanley.
"Not while I'm up here," said an ape.
"Maybe I can live in space,"said Stanley.
He jumped off a rock.
"Ouch!"said Stanley.
"I can't live in a space!"
"Does anybody mind if i live here?"he asked.
"I don't mind if you don't snore."said an animal who was going to sleep.
"I don't mind if you don't eat too much grass,"said an animal who was eating.
"I don't mind if you don't take up too much room," said a very, very big animal.
Stanley made himself at home."This is not bad," he said.
But suddenly the wind blew and Stanley was cold. The rain fell and he was wet.
"This is worse than the cave,"said Stanley. He made walls to keep out the wind.
He made a roof to keep out the rain.
He made a door, windows and chimney. He made a house!
"That's the first house I ever saw," said a field mouse.
"It's the first one I ever made," said Stanley. "Won't you stay here and live with me?"
"I can't. I belong in the field. But I will come and visit you from time to time," said the field mouse.
Stanley painted pictures.
He planted seeds in the ground and watched them grow.
He loved his house.
But he was lonesome.
"I wonder how my friends are,"he said.
The cavemen were out hunting for animals. They carried their clubs.
"Look who's after us with their silly clubs," said the animals."Let's chase them out of here!"
They chased the cavemen.Stanley saw the cavemen running.
"Don't be afraid," he said. "I won't let them hurt you."
He made the animals go away.
"You saved us,Stanley,"said the cavemen."Thank you!"
"Come back and live in our cave," said one caveman.
"Caves are old-fashioned."said Stanley."Come and see where i live."
He showed them his house.
"A cave is for bears, A house is for people,"said Stanley.
"You are right,Stanley" said the cavemen.
"This is the way we want to live."
They all made houses.
Stanley showed them how to paint pictures and plant seeds.
He showed them how to be nice to each other and kind to animals, and everybody was happy.