From My Imagination

This is a story for everyone. And especially for my children, my grandchildren and all the young children of our world.

Once there was a small pussy cat. She had white and grey stripes, and her ears were pink. Every day she walked down the path, looking at the flowers, playing with the butterflies and going about her business. 

Most days nothing troubled her, but sometimes she met an old, Grouchy Dog. He seemed like a cross between a jackal and a hyena. He didn’t like anyone, and especially anyone walking on his path, as he called it. When little Pussy walked by, he growled at her and sometimes would chase her and try and grab her and bite her. She was quick though, and always stayed out of his reach.

One day little Pussy was talking to Raccoon and she told him about Grouchy Dog.

“That dog is so grouchy. No one likes being growled at,” said Raccoon.

“And I don’t like being chased by that scary old Dog,” said Pussy.

 Rabbit said, “We have to do something. Today he is trying to grab little Pussy. Tomorrow it could be our children.”

“Yes,”said Squirrel. “It could be our children, or even us.”

The animals had a forest meeting. Many animals spoke in agreement. Some were scared. Some seemed too busy to be bothered. And some just wanted to ignore it all.

They met for a long time. Finally Fox said, “This is about all of us. It is our forest, our world. If we don’t do something, no one will. We are the ones. This is about the safety of all of us.”

“What then will we do?” said wise old Mr. Owl.

There was silence as they all thought. 

Finally, Rabbit spoke up. “What if we all wear pink pussy ears to show we care about Pussy and to show Grouchy Dog we won’t stand for this any more.”

There was silence again, but only for a moment. 

Then Mr. Owl said, “That just might work.”

Now it so happened that Raccoon was a knitter and a very good one at that. He soon had knitted pink pussy ear hats for them all. 

The next time Pussy walked down her regular path, Grouchy Dog growled at her. As soon as he started to run at her to grab her, Pussy held up her little paw and said, “Stop!”

“Why should I?” said Dog.

“Because I don’t like it.”

Raccoon stepped out from behind a tree with his pussy hat. Rabbit hopped up from behind Dog. Squirrel scampered down the tree with her pussy hat. Fox sauntered along with his pussy hat. 

Even Mama Dog and her three puppies came out , all with their pussy hats.

Grouchy Dog was surprised.

Raccoon said, “We don’t like what you are doing to our friend, Pussy.”

Fox said, “We won’t let you bother her.”

Rabbit said, “We want you to leave her alone.”

“We all want to feel safe,” said Squirrel.

And Mama Dog said, “We will always be here to protect Pussy. You can’t bother her anymore.”

Old Dog stood there and growled at them all. All the animals got closer together until they were standing shoulder to shoulder, wearing their pink pussy hats. Grouchy Dog realized they were all in it together to protect Pussy and each other, and he could not overcome them all. 

Then Rabbit said, “You can be our friend if only you will stop growling at us, and stop trying to bite us.”

Grouchy Dog thought for a minute and said, “No, I don’t think so.”

And Grouchy Dog turned around and went back to his home which was a sort of a hole in the ground. And he never bothered Pussy, or any of the other animals again.