There was once a wise old lady who lived on a hill. All the children used to go and ask her questions. She always gave them _________ answers.

There was a little boy among the children. One day he caught a little bird and held it in his hands without anybody seeing it. Suddenly he had an idea and asked his friends to _________.

“Let’s _________ the old lady,” he said “I’ll ask her what I’m holding in my hands. Of course, she’ll answer that I have a bird. Then I’ll ask her if the bird is alive or dead. If she says the bird is dead, then I’ll _________ my hands and let the bird fly away. If she says the bird is alive, I’ll quickly _________ it and show her the dead bird. Either way, she’ll be _________.”

The children agreed this was a clever plan. So _________ the hill they all went to the old lady’s house. “Granny, we have a _________ for you,” they all shouted.

“What’s in my hands?” the little boy asked.

“Why, of course it must be a bird,” the old lady replied.

“But is it alive or dead?” the boy asked _________.

All the boys __________ her answer and got ready to laugh at her.

The old lady thought for a moment and then replied, “It’s up to you, my child. If you’re kind enough, it’ll be alive”