The Yellow Canary

One chilly spring day, Baby Cat was out playing along the creek. As she was playfully patting at the ripples in the water, Baby Cat suddenly lost her balance and toppled headfirst into the frigid stream. She emerged spluttering with her shiny brown coat matted to her quivering body. Baby Cat climbed out of the creek and trekked home, shivering.

When she arrived home, a hot, crackling fire was already lit in the fireplace. Baby Cat curled up underneath her favorite plum-colored blanket next to the hearth. As she lay there, she spied her sister’s red knit mittens lying on the mantel. Her paws were still cold, so Baby Cat decided to borrow Baby Kit’s mittens. Baby Cat climbed onto the mantel and nudged the mittens off the ledge. On the treacherous tumble to the hardwood floor, one mitten landed in the hot flames. By the time Baby Cat jumped down from the mantel, the mitten was nothing but a pile of smoldering ash.

A pit formed in her tummy as Baby Cat imagined how upset Baby Kit would be when she found out that her favorite mitten was burnt beyond repair. Thinking quickly, Baby Cat hid the remaining mitten under the bed and ran outside before Mama Cat and Baby Kit returned from their mouse hunt.

A tiny yellow canary began following Baby Cat around. The chirping was a constant reminder of the terrible thing she had done.

Mama Cat and Baby Kit arrived home an hour or so later with plenty of mice for mice stew. Mama Cat began preparing the stew while Baby Kit searched for her mittens to warm up her cold paws.

“Mama, where are my mittens?” asked Baby Kit.

“I saw them on the mantel this morning,” Mama Cat replied.

“They aren’t there, Mama.”

“Baby Cat, have you seen your sister’s mittens?” Mama Cat called to Baby Cat, who was sulking in the backyard.

The yellow canary grew bigger as Baby Cat called back, “No, Mama. I haven’t seen them.”

“Keep looking, sweetie,” Mama Cat told Baby Kit. “I’m sure they are around here somewhere.”

The next day, Baby Cat became annoyed with the canary because of its incessant chirping and hovering. She tried batting it with her paw and missed. She tried again and again. Baby Cat could not quite hit the bird.

Mama saw her patting at the air through the kitchen window. She called to her, “What are you doing, Baby Cat?”

“Nothing, Mama. Just playing,” Baby Cat responded, suddenly aware that Mama was watching her.

Throughout the next three days, the canary grew larger and larger and larger. Its chirping grew louder and more incessant as Baby Cat continued to evade Mama Cat’s questions about the missing mittens and Baby Kit’s forlorn face. Baby Cat tried to swat at the hovering canary with her paw but the bird would not go away no matter how hard she tried. Finally, Baby Cat couldn’t take it anymore. She had to tell Mama Cat what she had done.

Baby Cat grabbed the remaining mitten from its hiding place and searched for Mama Cat. She found Mama in the living room sitting in her antique rocking chair. She didn’t go in right away. Instead, she watched Mama Cat as she donned a pair of blue socks. Baby Cat’s tummy was in knots.

"Mama’s going to be so disappointed in me. She’s going to be angry because I lied," Baby Cat thought to herself. But I have to tell her.

“M-mama?” Baby Cat squeaked timidly.

“Oh! I didn’t see you there, sweetie.” Mama looked up from her work, startled.

“M-mama? I-I need to tell you something,” Baby Cat’s voice shook.

Mama Cat placed her needle and sock on the coffee table and motioned for Baby Cat to come closer. “What is it, dear?”

Baby Cat looked at the floor in shame. She held out the lonely red mitten. Voice trembling, she said, “The other day I fell in the creek. I was cold so I came home to get warm. I wanted to borrow Baby Kit’s mittens. When I knocked them off the mantel, one fell in the fireplace. I got scared and hid the other one. I’m so sorry, Mama.” Baby Cat was in tears.

“Come sit on my lap, Baby Cat,” Mama said gently.

Baby Cat crawled up on Mama Cat’s lap and buried her face in Mama’s black fur.

Before speaking, Mama wrapped her paws around her. “I could tell admitting your mistake was hard. I’m not happy that you lied to both your sister and me about it, but I’m glad you told me. Do you feel any better now?”

Baby Cat nodded and snuggled in closer to Mama Cat. All of a sudden, the yellow canary disappeared with one final chirp.

Moral: Always tell the truth; otherwise, the guilt of your wrongdoing will continue to grow.