Even though Randy is much loved at home, he has a serious problem—everything he has is old! His rich neighbor Mike, who often teases him, has a new bike, new toys, and never does chores. Randy, however, rides an old bike, has old toys, and has to do all kinds of work around the house. Though Randy is often reminded that “things don’t bring happiness,” he desperately wishes he could be rich so he could buy everything new.

Nicholas knows that guarding the family’s sheep is important, but he also thinks it’s one of the most boring jobs in the world. He decides to make his day more exciting by shouting “Wolf!” so the townspeople will run to help. His practical joke is a huge success from his point of view, but the townspeople are furious.

When Jane complains to Sam about the crooked rows he has plowed, they decide to switch jobs for a day on their family farm. Both Sam and Jane expect to have lots of free time after each finishes the other’s “easy” job. In this hilarious story, Sam and Jane encounter one calamity after another doing each other’s “easy” chores.

When three hungry soldiers enter the village, the selfish villagers hide rather than welcome them. To teach the villagers that sharing brings joy, they announce they are making soup from stones. This idea is so surprising that the soldiers convince the self-centered villagers to add something to their soup for additional flavor. Their contributions to the water and stones become a delicious pot of soup.