Harriet Hippo's Hiccups
Harriet Hippo has the hiccups, and all her friends have ideas to stop them.
Harriet Hippo was munching her breakfast very, very fast. Gulp, gulp, gulp. Then: Hic!
Harriet jumped. The water rippled. Hic! "Oh no," she said. "I have the hiccups!" Hic!
Flamingo stood on one leg. "Stand on one leg like me," she said. Harriet tried. Hic! She wobbled and fell into the pond with a great big splash.
Frog had an idea. "Say your name backwards," he said. "Teirrah," said Harriet slowly. Hic!
Monkey jumped out from behind a tree. "Boo!" he shouted. Harriet was not scared at all. She just laughed. Hic!
Then wise old Tortoise came by. "Do you know what hiccups are?" he asked. Harriet shook her head. Hic!
"Under your lungs is a big muscle called the diaphragm," said Tortoise. "It helps you breathe. Sometimes, when you eat too fast, it gets a little jumpy and tightens suddenly. That makes the hic."
"How do I make it calm down?" asked Harriet. Hic!
"Often hiccups go away by themselves," said Tortoise. "Sit quietly. Breathe slowly. Sip some water."
So Harriet sat quietly by the water. She breathed in slowly, and out slowly. She took a little sip. In, and out. In, and out.
Everyone waited. And waited. No hic.
"They're gone!" said Harriet. Then she finished her breakfast slowly, one bite at a time. "Just in case," she said.
⭐ The End ⭐
💬 Talk about it
- Why did Harriet get the hiccups?
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She ate too fast. - What is the name of the muscle under your lungs?
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The diaphragm. - What happened when Harriet stood on one leg?
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She fell into the pond. - What finally helped Harriet?
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Sitting quietly, breathing slowly and sipping water.
