Sugar took the last bite of her mouse. She sat back on her haunches and began to wash her face and paws. She repeatedly licked her paw, then rubbed her face with the paw.
Tiger sat up abruptly, smacking his lips together with a mixture of content and anticipation. “Can I ask my question now?” he asked excitedly.
“Sure,” Puffin purred as she barried the remains of their pray. “Go right ahead.”
“Okay!” Sugar cried.
“Let’s see... What was my question? Oh, yeah! Why are leaves green? Why aren’t they blue like the sky or white like the clouds?” Tiger questioned.
“Well, as you both know, the sky is blue because of Blue Jay’s feathers and the clouds are white because of Sheep’s wool. But, the sky is green because of something else. When humans came to earth, the animals wanted to get noticed by the humans, because the people, at lest the first people, didn’t pay much attention to things that they weren’t hunting or fighting.
“One of the creates with a craving to get noticed was Frog. He was sad that, because he was so small, most humans didn’t even stop to look at him. Some animals didn’t ether. Frog just wanted to be remembered in some way, so that his kind and him could always be seen, and not forgotten.
“So, Frog went to the Great Spirit to ask her for help.
“‘Great Spirit,’ Frog began. ‘I was wondering if you could help me with a problem that I seem to be having.’
“‘What is it, Frog?’ the Great Spirit inquired.
“‘No one seems to notice me, no matter what I do,’ Frog sighed unhappily. ‘I just want to be seen and remembered, like almost all of the other animals are.’
“‘I know that it seems unfair, Frog, but I can not help you unless you specify. What is it that you want? What is your wish?’
“Frog pondered the question for a while before saying, ‘I think that I will have to think that over.’
“‘Okay. I will see you later, then?’
“Frog nodded and hopped off. What could he change that would help make people notice him and his kind? What memorable thing could he do?
“Soon, Frog had narrowed it down to changing the color of something. He knew that many animals had changed the color of something--like the sky or tree bark. He then pondered what he--”
“Mama?” Sugar asked.
“Yes, Sugar? What do you need?” Puffin inquired.
“I was just wondering,” Sugar started. “Who was the animal that made tree bark brown? You said that someone had picked the color of tree bark, and you haven’t told us that story yet!”
“Well, you can save that for your next question, Sugar. That’s a whole other story all together,” Puffing meowed.
“Oh,” Sugar meowed, unable to keep the disappointment out of her voice. “Okay. So what happens next?”
“Well, let’s see...Oh yes! He then pondered what he would change the color of. He realized that it
could be anything, really. He could change the color of dirt, he could change the color of grass--Then, it came to him: grass. He could change the color of grass!”
“Mama?” Tiger interrupted.
“Yes, Tiger?” Puffin sighed.
“Why are you telling the story about why the grass is green?” Tiger questioned, trying to sound polite and remembering how he had asked why the leaves were green.
“Well, you’ll find that out soon enough. Keep on listening, and you will discover why I told you this story. Now, let’s continue.
“Frog grinned. What a wonderful thing to change the color of! Grass was everywhere, so the new color was bound to be noticed. It was to be...Green! That was the color of Frog. Yes, the new green grass would diffidently going to get noticed. Frog, proud of his brilliant plan, hopped away, towards the Great Spirit’s Great Willow, where she lived.
“As Frog was going on his journey, he noticed that the tree leaves, and all other leaves, were brown and dirty-looking. Frog thought that they would look much better green, his color. But how, he wondered, would he convince the Great Spirit to grant him two wishes. The Great Spirit only granted one wish per animal.
“Then, he decided, he would have to rely on the wording. Maybe something like, ‘Great Spirit, my wish is to change the color of all leaves and grasses to green.’ Would that still clarify as one wish? By the sounds of it, it would!
“So, when Frog reached the Great Willow, he called to the Great Spirit in a clear voice, ‘Great Spirit! Great Spirit, I am here!’
“‘So,’ the Great Spirit inquired. ‘Have you decided what your wish is, Frog?’
“‘Yes!’ Frog announced. Then, remembering the words he had recited over and over in his head on his journey here, he said, ‘ Great Spirit, my wish is to change the color of all leaves and grasses to green.’
“‘Tricky Frog!’ the Great Spirit laughed. ‘Well wished. Although you cheated on your wish, I shall grant it. But, Frog, be warned. With the ones who want to get tricky with me will be faced with even greater craftiness.’
“Frog ignored the Great Spirit’s words. He cheerily hopped up and down, up and down, crying out victorious croaks. He left, eager to see the green grasses and leaved. Indeed they got noticed. All of the animals and people were awe-struck by the change in scenery. But, none of them thought of Frog when they saw the green leaves and green grass.
“Frog felt a sense of failure. Was this what the Great Spirit had meant? But, little did Frog know, the Great Spirit could not control what people and animals thought and had greater things in mind.
“In the Fall, Frog went to sleep in the mud at the bottom of the Big Pond, the leaves changed color. They were green no longer. Instead, they were an assortment of browns, reds, golds, yellows, and oranges. The Great Spirit most certainly been crafty!
“She said to herself, ‘And that is what you get when you get tricky with me, Frog, my friend. Though, I must say, he was pretty clever himself.’
“The Great Spirit was never pleased to sink to these levels, but she did as she must.
“The moral of this story is,” Puffin concluded, “is that you should never let fame and fortune blind you. Allow yourself to see with eyes unclouded by riches and fans.”\
Both of the kittens applauded and cheered happily. They excitedly cried numerous things. These included:
“So the story was about why the leaves are green!”
“Frog didn’t get trapped in the sky!”
“Great story, Mama!”
“Yeah, tell us another one!”
Puffin sighed, wondering if her kittens would ever be satisfied and ever have their fill of the stories. Then, she meowed, “Okay, then. Tiger? What story would you like to hear?”
Before Tiger could answer, Sugar protested, “But Mama! He got the last turn! It’s unfair!” Then Sugar sighed heavily and plopped herself onto the starched ground.
“Sugar, you got two turns in a row, so Tiger gets two turns, also. Fair?” Puffin rezoned.
“Fair,” Sugar agreed unwillingly.
“What was your question, Tiger?” Puffin inquired.
“I was just wondering...” Tiger started.
-KittyLover8
© 2012
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