Lali and the Storyteller Episode One: You Chose the Poem!

ou choose the poem!" Storyteller beamed, and her eyes twinkled merrily in her warm brown face. Just then, Lali's cat stretched himself and twined around Lali's ankles, soft and bright as sunshine. He was a large handsome yellow beast, with a glossy coat that spoke of full meals and much time for grooming. Lali smiled at him. She picked him up, and cuddled her face in his fur. He bumped her under the chin with his head, and purred. She snuggled him in her arms. "See, Tomasi," she said to him fondly. "It's our lucky day! Storyteller visits!"

Storyteller smiled widely, full lips merrily upturned. Slowly, gently, she held her hand out to Tomasi. He sniffed it, then rasped the woman's fingertips with a sandpapery tongue. "He likes you!" Lali's eyes danced.

"Yes, I have a way with fur folk." Storyteller thought a moment, humming ummmm, hmmmmm, mmmmm, under her breath. "Ah! I remember now. Just the thing! I give you a poem about a cat!"

"Listen, Tomasi," Lali whispered. "It's a poem like you!"

Storyteller threw back her head and spoke:

"I like it! Tell me another?" Lali looked up at Storyteller hopefully.

"Another day, child. Another day."

"Awwww...."

"Now, Storyteller must walk the world, to find the tales to bring to you. Yet I will be back, oh yes! Back with more tales, and a thirst to trade them for. When the week turns to the third day, watch for me. I'll stop in the shade of this tall, tall tree, with tales for you. Is it well?"

"It is well. Walk happy, Storyteller!"

"Dance happy, Lali!"

And the Storyteller took up her hiking stick, put on her pack, and went her way, humming hmmmmm, ummmm, mmmmm, until the next week.

This article © 2000-2004 Peg Fisher, used by permission.

Lali and the Storyteller Episode One: You Chose the Story!

ou choose the tale!" Storyteller nodded happily. "I have just the tale for you, because you have a cat." She winked a bright, dark eye at the golden shape of Tomasi, contentedly purring in the sunlight.

The Story


It was like this. A young cat wished to see the world, so he went down to the sea to take ship. Down at the harbor there were many, many vessels, but one craft caught his eye. It had a deep green hull, and a high white sail, and a pennant showing dolphins leaping out of the water. "That's the one for me," said Cat, and he went down to the dock, to find the Captain.

Now, the Captain was a canny, dark-haired fisher named Mira, and she and her whole family fished the sea. She had a tall bright eyed daughter, Eleni, who navigated. Then there was a strong shouldered son, Bruno, who hauled up the full nets, and another son, Erik, who cleaned the catch and traded with the town folk. And last, there was a little laughing girl, Sanda, who sang as she fixed their meals in the galley. Mira could do all these things, and more, for it was she who taught them to her children.

Cat looked at the fishers as they went about their work. They had unloaded the fresh catch, which Erik took on a cart to market. Bruno and Mira were rolling barrels of salt fish up the gangplank, then lowering them into the hold. Eleni stashed them fast, and little Sanda kept the tally. When he saw all this, Cat's whiskers tingled in a good way. He went up to Captain Mira and said, "I wish to see other lands beyond this shore. Will you take me there?"

Captain Mira looked him over thoughtfully, from the briskness of his whiskers to the litheness of his tail, and she liked what she saw. His green eyes were alert, his brown tabby coat was clean. All in all, he was the very picture of a young cat out to seek adventure.

"Can you keep the rats off my decks, and out of my hold, below?"

"Yes, Captain. Try me!"

"Right, then," she nodded briskly. "Come aboard."

So Cat came aboard, and he watched carefully, and chased down or ran off all the rats. Captain Mira was pleased. "You'll do," was all she said, but she smiled at him too, and Cat's whiskers tingled in a good way.

Next day, they set sail for the Outer Islands. They sailed through sun and wind, through calm and storm, and Cat enjoyed himself thoroughly. Once, when Sanda called out to him, he even got to see dolphins leap from the water, arc high into the air, then plunge beneath the waves again. It was wonderful!

At last, they hove into view of an island. Cat was almost sorry to see the journey end, but he was eager to go ashore, too. So the fishers lowered their dinghy and rowed him in. "Farewell," said Captain Mira. "Watch the docks for us, if you want to take ship again," said Eleni. Sanda hugged him, then they all waved goodbye.

Cat felt sad to be leaving his friends, but he was wild to explore as well. He looked along the rocky coastline and wondered what strange pools and mysterious caves it might hold. As he looked, his whiskers tingled in an iffy way. In his excitement, though, Cat ignored the tingling.

Cat set out along the coast, searching for new sights. He indeed found tidal pools full of life --darting minnows, fringed anemonies, scuttling crabs, starfish. This was good, yet he found himself missing the chance to see dolphins.

When he grew hungry, Cat caught a fish to eat. It was tasty, but still he found himself thinking of Sanda, and the hearty soups and rich chowders she made. Not only that, he missed her merry laughter. "I shall be lonelier here," he thought, and his whiskers trembled in a downhearted way, but again, he pretended not to notice.

Cat went on, and he came to a cliff, and indeed there were mysterious caves. The wind around the rocks there whistled and moaned eerily. It made the fur on Cat's spine stand up. It made his whiskers tingle in a spooky kind of way. Finally, this time, Cat listened to his whiskers! "I don't like this place!" he cried. "I want to go back with my friends!"

Hurry, hurry, hurry! Cat raced back along the shore. "Will my friends still be there?" he thought, anxiously. He couldn't see the docks yet. He hurried faster. Then he rounded a big boulder and away in the distance he could see them. The dinghy was rowing back to the ship! Oh no!

"Wait for me," he shouted, and ran harder. The dinghy kept going, too far away for them to hear him. He shouted louder, "WAIIIIIIT!" The dinghy kept on. Cat reached the docks, and stopped, gasping. His shoulders drooped sadly as he watched his fisher friends leave. But suddenly, his whiskers tingled in a good way! Could it be? Yes! The dinghy was turning back!

Greatly relieved, Cat waited as his friends rowed back to get him.

"Through exploring already?" asked Captain Mira.

"I thought better of it," Cat answered. "I missed you. Take me back? I want to go where you go, and be a Sea Cat."

"Hooray!" cried Sanda. Eleni smiled up at him. "Done," said Captain Mira. "Come aboard." And she lent him a hand as he clambered back into the dinghy.

"And that, my friend, is how Cat became Sea Cat," finished the Storyteller.

"Ah!" cried Lali, "What a story! Is there more? What did Sea Cat do?"

"That is another tale for another day," replied Storyteller. Lali looked sad. "No worries, child, I'll be back! Watch for me on the third day and I'll trade you another tale for another dinner. It is well, then?"

"It is well. Walk happy, Storyteller!"

"Dance happy, Lali!"

Then Storyteller put on her pack, picked up her hiking stick, and went her way humming, hmmmm, ummmmm, mmmmmm, until the next week.

This article © 2000-2004 Peg Fisher, used by permission.