A Stormy Night.
A stormy night at Palmetto Mansion.
Chapter 1.
It was a stormy night. The leaves on the trees were making a shushing sound outside. Raindrops hit the windows and scattered down the glass. Lightning lit up the sky and thunder rumbled in the distance.
Thankfully, there was a fire cracking in the fireplace and all of us, even Princess Messy, were tucked in to various pillows and blankets in Palmetto Mansion's cozy living room.
“Tell us a story, Herbie,” said Tux. “One of those fables.”
As a therapy cat, Herbie often participated in “Read to Me” events where children read books to him at the library. A pretty easy gig if you ask me. He just has to sit there and be petted. But he also got to know lots of stories that he could then tell to us.
“All right,” said Herbie, stretching and then settling back in on the pillow. “I’ll tell you one called the Ant and the Grasshopper.”
“I was hoping it would be about cats,” said Tux.
Chapter 2.
“One chilly day in late autumn, a family of ants was busy carrying grain into their home underground,” Herbie began. “They had worked all summer to collect the grain, and now they had enough to last them through the winter.”
“What is grain?” asked Tux.
“Something from a plant. Ants eat it.”
“It doesn’t sound very good,” said Tux.
“A grasshopper with a fiddle came upon the ants,” continued Herbie.
“With a what?” asked Tux.
“A fiddle. You know, a violin.”
“Grasshoppers play the violin?” asked Tux.
“They do in this story. Now just listen,” said Herbie with a stern look. “Having no food, the grasshopper was starving. He humbly asked for a bite to eat.”
“Good thing the ants have all that grain,” said Tux.
“May I continue?” said Herbie, raising his eyebrows.
“Sorry,” said Tux.
Chapter 3.
“The ants were surprised. “Haven’t you stored away anything for the winter?" they cried. “What did you do all summer?"
The grasshopper replied, “I was busy playing my fiddle. I didn’t store away any food and now I have nothing to eat."
The ants shrugged their shoulders. “Making music, were you?' they cried. “Very well, now dance!" And they turned around and went on with their work.”
Everyone was quiet.
“The End,” added Herbie.
“Well,” I said, breaking the silence. “That was a bit dark.
It was a stormy night. The leaves on the trees were making a shushing sound outside. Raindrops hit the windows and scattered down the glass. Lightning lit up the sky and thunder rumbled in the distance.
Thankfully, there was a fire cracking in the fireplace and all of us, even Princess Messy, were tucked in to various pillows and blankets in Palmetto Mansion's cozy living room.
“Tell us a story, Herbie,” said Tux. “One of those fables.”
As a therapy cat, Herbie often participated in “Read to Me” events where children read books to him at the library. A pretty easy gig if you ask me. He just has to sit there and be petted. But he also got to know lots of stories that he could then tell to us.
“All right,” said Herbie, stretching and then settling back in on the pillow. “I’ll tell you one called the Ant and the Grasshopper.”
“I was hoping it would be about cats,” said Tux.
Chapter 2.
“One chilly day in late autumn, a family of ants was busy carrying grain into their home underground,” Herbie began. “They had worked all summer to collect the grain, and now they had enough to last them through the winter.”
“What is grain?” asked Tux.
“Something from a plant. Ants eat it.”
“It doesn’t sound very good,” said Tux.
“A grasshopper with a fiddle came upon the ants,” continued Herbie.
“With a what?” asked Tux.
“A fiddle. You know, a violin.”
“Grasshoppers play the violin?” asked Tux.
“They do in this story. Now just listen,” said Herbie with a stern look. “Having no food, the grasshopper was starving. He humbly asked for a bite to eat.”
“Good thing the ants have all that grain,” said Tux.
“May I continue?” said Herbie, raising his eyebrows.
“Sorry,” said Tux.
Chapter 3.
“The ants were surprised. “Haven’t you stored away anything for the winter?" they cried. “What did you do all summer?"
The grasshopper replied, “I was busy playing my fiddle. I didn’t store away any food and now I have nothing to eat."
The ants shrugged their shoulders. “Making music, were you?' they cried. “Very well, now dance!" And they turned around and went on with their work.”
Everyone was quiet.
“The End,” added Herbie.
“Well,” I said, breaking the silence. “That was a bit dark.
Chapter 4.
Tux was quiet for a moment too, but then he brightened.
“Oh, I get it!” he said. “They were going to share their grain with the grasshopper while he entertained them with his fiddle.”
I was about to tell Tux that perhaps that was NOT what the ants intended when Messy spoke up.
“Like how Herbie is telling us a story,” she said. “We need stories and music and art in our lives, especially when it’s cold and dark outside.”
I had to admit she had a point.
“I like that version better,” I said.
“Tell us another,” said Tux.
Tux was quiet for a moment too, but then he brightened.
“Oh, I get it!” he said. “They were going to share their grain with the grasshopper while he entertained them with his fiddle.”
I was about to tell Tux that perhaps that was NOT what the ants intended when Messy spoke up.
“Like how Herbie is telling us a story,” she said. “We need stories and music and art in our lives, especially when it’s cold and dark outside.”
I had to admit she had a point.
“I like that version better,” I said.
“Tell us another,” said Tux.
Copyright MaryRose Lovgren 2024