(I made up this story many years ago and it has been a favorite with
all our grandkids and great-grands. Use all the seemingly "big" words
natuarally, because, believe me, kids are thrilled when you do...they
feel as though you're not trying to talk "down" to them and some will
employ the uses of dictionaries and encyclopedia and other books
more!:)
The Fiddly Ferret, by Susie Lee
~*~*~*~*~*~
Once upon a time, a really nice family who had a good cat and a
friendly dog decided they would like to include a ferret into their
family's circle because they saw how much fun their nieghbors had with
their two adopted ferrets who played and teased with the neighbors' cat
and dog and children, helping to put smiles and laughter into everyone
who watched them. So they went to a pet store and bought a lonesome,
last-one-of-his litter ferret...the only one left in the pet store,
since all his litter-mates had been sold off.
This ferret was spoiled and mischievous because of all the extra
handling he'd gotten, being by himself for several weeks.
When he was taken in by his new family, instead of playing with their
cat and dog, he hissed and bared his teeth, then ran off to create
near-havoc, turning over all the pots and pans, finding and hiding
every single shoe of everyone's in the house, claiming all the toys
for himself, even though he couldn't possibly play with most of them,
and generally being mischeivous, and so the Name he made for himself
was Mischief. By the next day, everyone, family, dog, cat, everyone
left Mischief quite alone.
Now ferrets are sociable-natured critters and Mischeif didn't like
being lonesome at-all-whatsoever. But after his reprehensible behavior,
no one would have anything to do with him.
He sprawled out his little self on the living-room floor and heaved
a great, lonesome sigh. Several lonesome sighs. Noticing nobody was
paying attention to all his lonesome sighs, he sat up and
cry-YIII-yied, just as loud and lonesomely as his little self could
cry.
Around the corner of the sofa came the old motherly cat, named Sphynx,
to enquire what was the matter, for the little ferret looked and
sounded so much like a kitten to her that she couldn't not try to
help. Mischief broke down completely and "for real", then, at Sphynx's
genuine concern after how rudely he'd behaved. He wished everyone would
come out and be company to him. He didn't like the name he'd made for
himself at-all, whatsoever!
Sphynx suggested maybe he could find some way to make a NEW name for
himself...what about finding a more cheery and engaging way to behave
that the People might like, such as purring and rubbing against
People-legs? Mischeif tried to purr, but ferrets can't purr. What could
he do? he could bounce. He could run sideways and backwards at the same
time. But ALL ferrets can do those things. Then, on the television, he
saw a human with an instrument in his hands, making cheery noises with
it while other humans joyfully approved.
Now THERE was what he'd like to do!
So Sphynx managed to make the humans understand what was needed, a very
small violin. (don't ask ME how she did that, sphynxes always keep
their secrets and I never did find that one out! :)
By the Next day, the little ferret was already playing his new fiddle
in a fitly ferrety way all his own. The merry little tunes drifted
through the house and lured everyone back to enjoying the fine company
of their new Fiddly Ferret. The Mom and Dad and bro and Sis were all
dancing and laughing again. Dog was laughing, too, bounding between the
dancers, and Sphynx just tapped her dainty paw in time to the music
with a little motherly cat-grin.
And so the little ferret made a wonderful New name for himself by
changeing his attitude, and then changeing his behavior.
Now everyone loved and kept company with a much happier Fiddly Ferret.
***********
The End
(there is a drawing of Mischeif with this story here...
http://www.angelfire.com/theforce/ferret_rescuer/index.html
as well as a picture of the real and still living mama Sphynx Mysteria
cat.
[Posted in FML 6455]
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