Two pigs and two ducks wandered away from their farm. The sun was out and it was such a beautiful day with blue skies and white, puffy clouds that they couldn't resist a trip to Miller's Pond.

They splashed in the water and swam about, listening to the frogs croak and the dragonflies humming as they danced over the water. “I love coming to the pond in the summer,” said Perry.

“It's much better than staying at the smelly old farm. I don't like sitting in the mud all day long. At least we're clean now,” said Phil.

The two pigs climbed out of the pond and lay on the grass to dry off.

Dora and Dina duck swam about, dipping their heads under water to catch tiny fish and larvae. “We like the pond too. We don't get much to eat at the farm, aside from chunks of apples and pears,” said Dina.

“I like washing my feathers. I feel clean,” Dora said. The two ducks flew out of the water and landed next to the pigs.

They fell asleep, curled up in a pile. When they woke up it was dark. “Oh no,” said Perry. “I don't know how to get back to the farm in the dark. What if there are wolves and coyotes out here?”

“Or lions,” said Phil.

“Lions live in the jungle,” said Dora, “but there might be cougars.”

“I want to go home to the farm. Even if it is smelly, at least we didn't need to worry about wild animals eating us.” Dina quacked and buried her beak under her wing.

“Should we try to find our way back home or should we sleep out here all night?” Perry questioned the group.

“Let's go home,” said Dora.

The others nodded in agreement.

They made their way around the pond and headed down the trail. “At least we can see where we're walking. Thank goodness the moon is out,” said Phil. “Oink, oink, oink.”

A patch of trees stood ahead of them. “I'm not going in there,” said Dora.

“I'm not going in there either,” said Dina. “Monsters might be in the trees.”

“There's no such things as monsters,” Phil said.

Up ahead they saw a dark shadow come from the trees. “Gulp. Yikes,” Perry whispered. “It is a monster and its going to eat us.” The pig watched the shadow move towards them. “Run!”

Perry ran to the left. Phil ran to the right. The two ducks ran back in the direction of the pond.

Something grabbed Perry by the neck. “There you are, Perry. I've been looking all over for you.” Perry looked up and saw Farmer Al. “Come back to the farm. Where are the others?”

Phil ran behind a tree. Something grabbed him by the tail. “Gotcha.” Phil wanted to cry. He was so scared, but when he looked up, he saw that it was Farmer Al. “There you are, Phil. What are you doing out here in the dark? It's no place for a pig.”

Dora and Dina stood on the grass near the pond, listening for the monster. Something grabbed both of them by the neck and lifted them up. “Oh no,” quacked Dora. “We're dead. The monster's going to eat us.”

Dina saw Farmer Al.

“What are you girls doing down here at the pond in the dark? Don't you know there are creatures out here that like to eat ducks at night?” Farmer Al, held the two ducks under his arms. “Come on, you four. I'm taking you back to the farm.”

Once they were safely tucked in the barn, Farmer Al shut the door. The ducks and pigs fell asleep. The next day they were out running around the farm. They saw the barn. Perry said, “Do you want to go to the pond again.”

“No!” Dora, Dina and Phil all shouted at him and ran back to the barn.

“Well, I guess that answers that,” Perry said and then he joined them for a nap in the hay.