“Dad, you look tired. Can I help get supper ready?”
“Don’t be horrid, Henry,” said Dad, pouring peas into boiling water. Then he stopped.
“What did you say, Henry?” asked Dad.
“Can
I
help, Dad?” said Perfect Peter.
“I asked if you needed any help,” said Henry.
“I asked first,” said Peter.
“Henry will just make a mess,” said Dad. “Peter, would you peel the carrots while I sit down for a moment?”
“Of course,” said Perfect Peter.
Peter washed his spotless hands.
Peter put on his spotless apron.
Peter rolled up his spotless sleeves.
Peter waited for Henry to snatch the peeler.
But Henry set the table instead.
Mom came into the kitchen.
“Smells good,” she said. “Thank you, darling Peter, for setting the table.What a good boy you are.”
Peter did not say anything.
“I set the table, Mom,” said Henry.
Mom stared at him.
“You?” said Mom.
“Me,” said Henry.
“Why?” said Mom.
Henry smiled.
“To be helpful,” he said.
“You’ve done something horrid, haven’t you, Henry?” said Dad.
“No,” said Henry. He tried to look sweet.
“I’ll set the table tomorrow,” said Perfect Peter.
“Thank you, angel,” said Mom.
“Dinner is ready,” said Dad.
The family sat down at the table.
Dinner was spaghetti and meatballs with peas and carrots.
Henry ate his dinner with his knife and fork and spoon.
He did not throw peas at Peter and he did not slurp.
He did not chew with his mouth open and he did not slouch.
“Sit properly, Henry,” said Dad.
“I am sitting properly,” said Henry. Dad looked up from his plate. He looked surprised.
“So you are,” he said.
Perfect Peter could not eat.Why wasn’t Henry throwing peas at him?
Peter’s hand reached slowly for a pea.
When no one was looking, he flicked the pea at Henry.
“Ouch,” said Henry.
“Don’t be horrid, Henry,” said Mom.
Henry reached for a fistful of peas. Then Henry remembered he was being perfect and stopped.
Peter smiled and waited. But no peas bopped him on the head.
Perfect Peter did not understand. Where was the foot that always kicked him under the table?
Slowly, Peter stretched out his foot and kicked Henry.
“OUCH,” said Henry.
“Don’t be horrid, Henry,” said Dad.
“But I…” said Henry, then stopped.
Henry’s foot wanted to kick Perfect Peter around the block.Then Henry remembered he was being perfect and continued to eat.
“You’re very quiet tonight,
Henry,” said Dad.
“The better to enjoy my lovely dinner,” said Henry.
“Henry, where are your peas and carrots?” asked Mum.
“I ate them,” said Henry. “They were delicious.”
Mom looked on the floor. She looked under Henry’s chair. She looked under his plate.
“You ate your peas and carrots?” said Mom slowly. She felt Henry’s forehead.
“Are you feeling all right, Henry?”
“Yeah,” said Horrid Henry. “I’m fine, thank you for asking,” he added quickly.
Mom and Dad looked at each other.What was going on?
Then they looked at Henry. “Henry, come here and let me give you a big kiss,” said Mom. “You are a wonderful boy.Would you like a piece of fudge cake?”
Peter interrupted.
“No cake for me, thank you,” said
Peter. “I would rather have more vegetables.”
Henry let himself be kissed. Oh my, it was hard work being perfect. He smiled sweetly at Peter.
“I would love some cake, thank you,” said Henry.
Perfect Peter could stand it no longer. He picked up his plate and aimed at Henry.
Then Peter threw the spaghetti.
Henry ducked.
SPLAT!
Spaghetti landed on Mom’s head. Tomato sauce trickled down her neck and down her new yellow fuzzy sweater.
“PETER!!!!” yelled Mom and Dad.
“YOU HORRID BOY!” yelled Mom.
“GO TO YOUR ROOM!!” yelled Dad.
Perfect Peter burst into tears and ran to his room.
Mom wiped spaghetti off her face. She looked very funny.
Henry tried not to laugh. He squeezed his lips together
“Don’t be horrid, Henry,” said Dad, pouring peas into boiling water. Then he stopped.
“What did you say, Henry?” asked Dad.
“Can
I
help, Dad?” said Perfect Peter.
“I asked if you needed any help,” said Henry.
“I asked first,” said Peter.
“Henry will just make a mess,” said Dad. “Peter, would you peel the carrots while I sit down for a moment?”
“Of course,” said Perfect Peter.
Peter washed his spotless hands.
Peter put on his spotless apron.
Peter rolled up his spotless sleeves.
Peter waited for Henry to snatch the peeler.
But Henry set the table instead.
Mom came into the kitchen.
“Smells good,” she said. “Thank you, darling Peter, for setting the table.What a good boy you are.”
Peter did not say anything.
“I set the table, Mom,” said Henry.
Mom stared at him.
“You?” said Mom.
“Me,” said Henry.
“Why?” said Mom.
Henry smiled.
“To be helpful,” he said.
“You’ve done something horrid, haven’t you, Henry?” said Dad.
“No,” said Henry. He tried to look sweet.
“I’ll set the table tomorrow,” said Perfect Peter.
“Thank you, angel,” said Mom.
“Dinner is ready,” said Dad.
The family sat down at the table.
Dinner was spaghetti and meatballs with peas and carrots.
Henry ate his dinner with his knife and fork and spoon.
He did not throw peas at Peter and he did not slurp.
He did not chew with his mouth open and he did not slouch.
“Sit properly, Henry,” said Dad.
“I am sitting properly,” said Henry. Dad looked up from his plate. He looked surprised.
“So you are,” he said.
Perfect Peter could not eat.Why wasn’t Henry throwing peas at him?
Peter’s hand reached slowly for a pea.
When no one was looking, he flicked the pea at Henry.
“Ouch,” said Henry.
“Don’t be horrid, Henry,” said Mom.
Henry reached for a fistful of peas. Then Henry remembered he was being perfect and stopped.
Peter smiled and waited. But no peas bopped him on the head.
Perfect Peter did not understand. Where was the foot that always kicked him under the table?
Slowly, Peter stretched out his foot and kicked Henry.
“OUCH,” said Henry.
“Don’t be horrid, Henry,” said Dad.
“But I…” said Henry, then stopped.
Henry’s foot wanted to kick Perfect Peter around the block.Then Henry remembered he was being perfect and continued to eat.
“You’re very quiet tonight,
Henry,” said Dad.
“The better to enjoy my lovely dinner,” said Henry.
“Henry, where are your peas and carrots?” asked Mum.
“I ate them,” said Henry. “They were delicious.”
Mom looked on the floor. She looked under Henry’s chair. She looked under his plate.
“You ate your peas and carrots?” said Mom slowly. She felt Henry’s forehead.
“Are you feeling all right, Henry?”
“Yeah,” said Horrid Henry. “I’m fine, thank you for asking,” he added quickly.
Mom and Dad looked at each other.What was going on?
Then they looked at Henry. “Henry, come here and let me give you a big kiss,” said Mom. “You are a wonderful boy.Would you like a piece of fudge cake?”
Peter interrupted.
“No cake for me, thank you,” said
Peter. “I would rather have more vegetables.”
Henry let himself be kissed. Oh my, it was hard work being perfect. He smiled sweetly at Peter.
“I would love some cake, thank you,” said Henry.
Perfect Peter could stand it no longer. He picked up his plate and aimed at Henry.
Then Peter threw the spaghetti.
Henry ducked.
SPLAT!
Spaghetti landed on Mom’s head. Tomato sauce trickled down her neck and down her new yellow fuzzy sweater.
“PETER!!!!” yelled Mom and Dad.
“YOU HORRID BOY!” yelled Mom.
“GO TO YOUR ROOM!!” yelled Dad.
Perfect Peter burst into tears and ran to his room.
Mom wiped spaghetti off her face. She looked very funny.
Henry tried not to laugh. He squeezed his lips together
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