Once upon a time, in the rolling hills of Thimblewick, there lived a quiet fellow named Barley Rock.
Barley loved nature. He especially loved his yard, which he tended with great care. He watered, he weeded, and he trimmed until the hedges looked almost polite.
Each morning, Barley would walk barefoot through the grass because he liked the feel of it between his toes.
He considered it a friendship of sorts.
But… Barley had a rocky relationship with his yard.
Being nearsighted, he’d step on a rock…
“Ouch! Ouch! That is a BIG rock!” he cried, hopping in circles.
Now, Barley’s neighbor, a neat and cheerful man named Thomley Fig, had a yard that was always green — too green, if you asked Barley.
One hot summer’s day, Barley began his daily routine of walking through his yard…
“Ouch! Ouch! That’s an even BIGGER rock!” he yelped.
Barley had had enough. He had to see what Thomley’s yard felt like.
He jumped the fence to feel that wondrous grass for himself…
“Ouch! Ouch! That hurts!” he cried, dancing backward on sore toes.
From then on, Barley wore shoes… and watered his polite hedges with a little more pride, because while the grass may always be greener on the other side, it might just be because it’s artificial.