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Welcome to Stories Podcast.
I'm your host, Amanda Weldon.
Today's story is called The Cat Who Walked By Herself.
A story inspired by Redyard Kipling, written for you by Daniel Hines.
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Enjoy the episode.
The Cat Who Walked By Herself.
Once upon a time, in the wet and wild woods of Cassie's farm, there came a terrible storm.
The rain came down like people pouring buckets, the wind howled like a hungry baby and the sky was an endless woolly gray that promised rain, rain and more rain after that.
Luckily for Cassie she was snug as a bug, who are often quite snug in her bedroom in the farmhouse.
She was lying on her bed, reading a book and enjoying the pitter-patter splatter of the rain on her windows.
It's nice to have a rainy day once in a while, she said to herself, looking out the window, as long as you have somewhere warm to go.
Outside, in the cold and lashing rain, there were some animals that would have agreed with her.
You see, Cassie's farm was right up against a huge wild forest with other farms around the far edges.
Sometimes animals got wild in the forest there.
Some had lived wild for generations.
Others turned back up at farms.
But that night the rain was so bad even the hardiest of the wild animals went looking for drier ground.
The first to turn up was an old dog.
Cassie heard him howling outside of her window.
For a minute, she thought it was just the wind.
But then a few barks got sprinkled in, and she ran to her window.
Who's out there in all that rain, she said.
Just me, an old dog, said the old dog.
I'm looking for a dry place to stay.
Well, you've come to the right farm, said Cassie.
My only rule is everyone has to earn their keep.
Is there something you can do to help?
The old dog smiled through his old jowls.
Well, I'm not so fast as I was, but my bark's as loud as ever.
I reckon I could be a good guard dog.
All I'd want is an old bone and a dry patch on the porch.
I can do better than that, said Cassie.
I'll be right down.
She ran downstairs, stopping only to get an old blanket from the closet and threw open the door to see the old dog still standing in the rain.
Come on the porch then, she said.
I'll make it ready for you.
And Cassie spread out the old blanket to make a new bed for the old dog on the covered porch, well out of the rain.
She left the front door open a crack so he could come in and warm up if he wanted, but he shook his shaggy head.
I've always liked the porch best, he said, shaking off the water and then spinning to get comfy on his new bed.
Thank you so much.
No problem, said Cassie.
And she went back upstairs to read.
And in the corner of the yard, unseen by them both, was a little cat, watching everything.
She huddled under a little bush, water soaking her silky fur, and she waited.
And, well, the storm kept raging.
And soon, Cassie heard the old dog barking from out on the porch.
She ran down and threw open the door.
What is it? she said.
A big pony, said the dog.
I'm a small horse, said the small horse, prancing in and out of the dark and rain.
My name is Thunder, but right now I'm not loving it.
A crash of thunder split the air, making the horse jump in fright.
See?
Oh, you poor thing, said Cassie.
I'm looking for a new place to live, said Thunder.
This place seems nice.
Do you think I could stay here?
I think so, said Cassie.
My only rule is everyone has to earn their keep.
Is there something you can do to help?
Oh, well, said the horse, tossing his mane.
I'm, like, really fast.
I can't carry a ton, but I could definitely carry you.
If you let me stay here, we could ride all over.
We could ride like lightning and, uh... Thunder? said Cassie.
Yeah! said Thunder.
Cassie laughed and pointed around the back of the house.
The stable is back there.
Make yourself at home and I'll bring out some fresh oats for you.
That's a deal, said Thunder, trotting around the back.
Cassie scratched the old dog behind the ears and then got the horse set with his oats and went back upstairs.
Meanwhile, the little cat crept a little closer, watching and listening through the wind and rain.
Cassie was just getting into the next chapter of her book when the old dog started barking again.
She ran to the covered porch where the dog was standing, peering into the wet and dark and sniffing at the air.
You see something?
Cassie asked.
I smell something, said the old dog.
Something big.
I'm not that big, came a voice from the howling storm.
I'm just a little lost.
From the darkness stumbled a milk cow, who was, Cassie had to admit, very big.
She had a little bell around her neck with a blue bow tied on and it gave a gentle ring as she walked.
That was all but lost in the crashing sounds of lashing wind, rain and thunder.
You're pretty big, said the old dog, but Cassie nudged him with her foot.
You have a bell and a bow, said Cassie.
You must belong to someone.
The cow shuffled up to the deck and closer now Cassie could see.
The bell was rusty and the bow was soggy and limp.
I'm Betsy, and I belong to someone once, the cow said.
But I wandered off the farm months and months ago and I've gotten hopelessly lost in these woods and barely survived.
I've been looking for a new farm to stay on and I saw your lights just as I was about to give up and let the rain wash me away.
Good heavens.
Well, you're welcome to stay here, said Cassie.
My only rule is everyone has to earn their keep.
Is there something you can do to help? for sure, said Betsy.
I can make milk, like a lot of milk.
You want cereal?
You want to bake?
You want an ice-cool glass with some cookies?
I'm your girl.
Milk, said the old dog, licking his lips.
I like milk.
And I love cereal, said Cassie.
Come and let me show you the barn around the back.
And you can say hello to Thunder, too.
Oh, I've had enough thunder for one night, said the shivering cow.
Not that kind of thunder, Cassie laughed.
Just follow me.
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So Cassie got Betsy set up in the barn and gave her fresh hay and dried her off with an old horse blanket until she was as cozy as could be and the little cat soaked all the way through.
Now crept a little closer.
The cat's name was Luna, because she was all a dark, midnight black, except for her eyes, which were two big yellow moons, and Luna means moon in Latin.
Luna watched all the other animals be offered spots on the farm, but she wasn't willing to beg for a spot like that.
She was too fierce, too wild, and too proud.
She'd rather get washed away or struck by lightning than admit she needed help.
It is awful cold out here, though, she purred to herself.
But a beautiful cat like me?
Ask a human for help?
It's unthinkable.
She should be asking me for help.
I think I better go and talk to her and explained to her just how much she needs a good cat in her life.
The cat sauntered through the rain and she heard the dog begin to bark.
A minute later, the door opened and Luna saw Cassie step onto the porch.
Who is it this time? she called.
It's getting late.
Anybody who wants to come in had better come and ask now.
Luna leapt onto the porch railing in front of Cassie and the old dog.
She started to lick her paws casually and waited for them to notice her.
Um, hello there, said Cassie.
Oh, hello there, said Luna, sitting back on the railing.
Sorry to disturb your old dog here.
I was just passing through.
Passing through nothing, grumbled the old dog.
But he quieted down when Cassie gave him a look.
You look awful wet, little cat, Cassie said.
What's your name?
My name is Luna, she said.
Do you need a place to stay, Luna?
Cassie said.
You're welcome to stay here.
My only rule is everyone has to earn their keep.
Is there something you can do to help?
Luna swished her tail and looked as bored as possible.
Oh, I just kind of do my own thing, said Luna.
Cassie smiled.
She knew cats were proud, but she also knew they hated, hated, hated being wet in the rain.
This cat wouldn't ask for help no matter how much she needed it.
But that was okay.
Cassie could work with that.
Well, what's your own thing then?
I nap, purred Luna.
I hunt.
I nap again.
I hunt again.
I prowl.
I stalk.
Stuff like that.
Well, you sound like a pretty amazing cat, Cassie said.
Any chance you'd do me the favor of staying here for a bit?
Me?
Stay here? asked the cat.
Well, I suppose I could hang out a bit if you need some company.
I really do, said Cassie.
Okay, shrugged Luna.
Why don't you show me around the place?
So Cassie took the wet little cat and dried her off and got her a fresh saucer of milk from the cow and set her up a warm little blanket near the stove heater.
When she was all set and dry and warm, Luna smiled to herself.
The human fell right into my trap, she said to herself.
Of course she wants a beautiful cat in her house, and I don't even have to help like the others.
After her nap, Luna explored the farm a little.
There were some big moths near the closet, and she jumped and ate those right out of the air.
After that, she heard Betsy and Thunder complaining about mice trying to steal their oats.
Mice?
Luna smiled to herself.
This place gets better and better.
So Luna went out to the barn and hunted mice to her heart's content.
And the next day, when the rain dried up and the sun came out, another saucer of milk was put down and more mice invaded the barn.
And what with one thing and another, Luna ended up living on the farm for good.
Cassie was happy to have all the rodents taken care of and to have a little ball of fur to cuddle with, and Luna never realized that she was helping just by being herself.
And that's the story for cats this very day.
Other animals are happy to help and work with us, but to cats, we are always working for them.
And that's just the way they like it.
And every once in a while, when the moon is high and the wet wild woods are calling, Luna still slips out the window and walks by herself, waving her wild tail, just to prove that she still can.
The End.
Today's story, The Cat Who Walked By Herself, was a story inspired by Rudyard Kipling and written for you by Daniel Hines.
It was edited and produced for you by Ellie Hines and performed for you by me, Amanda Weldon.
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