The Clever Rat

Copyright: Suzi Lewis-Barned 2006

One day a farmer went into his grain store to discover that something had been eating through his bags of millet. "This is the work of a rat," said the farmer to his wife. “I shall set a trap to catch him and then I will kill him with my stick.”

 The rat, who was old and very clever, saw the trap and knew exactly what
 would happen to him if he was caught, but it had been placed between
him and the millet so he would have to go hungry or risk being caught.
He decided to ask the farm animals to help him, so he went across the
farmyard to see the cockerel.

"My friend Cock," said the rat, "Be so good as to spring that trap so that I
may have my supper." But the cockerel replied "Me? Spring a trap for
you? Phooey! It is no business of mine. Go away Rat." And he kicked
dust in Rat's face as he strutted off."

"Just remember," called Rat, shaking the dust off his sleek, glossy coat,
"Today it is my trap, but tomorrow it may be yours."

The Wisest of Cats

Copyright: Suzi Lewis-Barned 2006
 

Once upon a time there was a cat who lived all alone. But he was rather a small cat and he needed someone to look after him. One day the cat said to himself: "It’s not good for me to be all alone. I need someone to look after me. I'm going to look for a Big Strong Friend".

He hadn’t gone very far when he met Zebra. ‘’Will you be my Big Strong
Friend and protect me from all harm?’’ he mewed up to Zebra in his
tiny voice. ‘’I am the strongest and bravest of all beasts,’’ replied Zebra.
‘’I will be your Big Strong Friend.’’ So the cat stayed with the Zebra and
he felt very safe.

But one day when Zebra was grazing on the wide grasslands, he was
chased by Lion. He managed to escape by galloping away to join his
friends who were also being chased. The little cat was very surprised.
‘’You said you were the strongest and bravest of all beasts, but you ran
away from Lion so he must be stronger and braver than you,’’ he said.
‘’I’m going to ask him to be my Big Strong Friend.’ So the little cat ran
up to Lion, and mewed up to him in his tiny voice: "Will you be my Big
Strong Friend and protect me from all harm?"