1 00:00:09,080 --> 00:00:15,960 Speaker 1: Hello friends, and welcome to sleep Tight Stories. A short 2 00:00:16,040 --> 00:00:21,720 Speaker 1: message for grown ups. If you get value from our stories, 3 00:00:22,280 --> 00:00:28,240 Speaker 1: please consider subscribing to sleep Tight Premium. It's a bit 4 00:00:28,360 --> 00:00:32,000 Speaker 1: like having a library full of bedtime stories at your 5 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:38,879 Speaker 1: finger tips. Along with sleep sounds, guided meditations and music 6 00:00:38,960 --> 00:00:43,280 Speaker 1: for sleep, we help you make sleep time easier and 7 00:00:43,400 --> 00:00:49,400 Speaker 1: hopefully bring joy and calm to your children. Visit sleep 8 00:00:49,479 --> 00:00:54,760 Speaker 1: Typepremium dot com to subscribe. A link can also be 9 00:00:54,840 --> 00:01:17,800 Speaker 1: found in our show notes, Thank You. Chapter two, Blackie 10 00:01:18,280 --> 00:01:25,680 Speaker 1: runs away. That cat is a good jumper, thought Blackie, 11 00:01:25,840 --> 00:01:29,640 Speaker 1: when her new friend had gone. He went over that 12 00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:36,240 Speaker 1: fence easily. I wonder if I could do that. Blackie tried, 13 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:39,280 Speaker 1: but she could not jump all the way to the 14 00:01:39,319 --> 00:01:43,920 Speaker 1: top of the fence as Speckle had done. I suppose 15 00:01:43,959 --> 00:01:46,680 Speaker 1: it must be because he ran away once or twice, 16 00:01:47,440 --> 00:01:51,160 Speaker 1: thought Blackie, as she again went back to rest in 17 00:01:51,240 --> 00:01:55,080 Speaker 1: the shade, after having tried two or three times to 18 00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:57,720 Speaker 1: leap to the top of the fence in one jump. 19 00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:05,640 Speaker 1: It must be that running away makes one a good jumper. Yes, 20 00:02:06,520 --> 00:02:11,000 Speaker 1: I certainly must run away, or walk away, as Speckle 21 00:02:11,120 --> 00:02:15,800 Speaker 1: called it. I wonder what would happen to me? I 22 00:02:15,880 --> 00:02:19,600 Speaker 1: suppose Mabel and Arthur would miss me and I would 23 00:02:19,639 --> 00:02:23,079 Speaker 1: miss them. But I need not run very far away, 24 00:02:23,680 --> 00:02:28,720 Speaker 1: and I can run back when I want to. Blackie 25 00:02:28,760 --> 00:02:32,280 Speaker 1: did not know much about things outside of her own 26 00:02:32,480 --> 00:02:37,760 Speaker 1: nice house. You see, running away never made a cat 27 00:02:37,880 --> 00:02:41,680 Speaker 1: a good jumper that I ever heard of, though, some 28 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:46,200 Speaker 1: cats who have no homes learn to jump fences easily 29 00:02:46,320 --> 00:02:51,280 Speaker 1: because I suppose they are chased by dogs or boys 30 00:02:51,360 --> 00:02:55,000 Speaker 1: so often that they just have to know how to 31 00:02:55,080 --> 00:03:00,760 Speaker 1: make big jumps. Yes, I certainly must try what running 32 00:03:00,800 --> 00:03:04,360 Speaker 1: away will teach me, thought Blackie as she went in 33 00:03:04,440 --> 00:03:08,480 Speaker 1: the house, where near the stove in the kitchen set 34 00:03:08,520 --> 00:03:12,520 Speaker 1: her saucer of milk. Then I will have things to 35 00:03:12,639 --> 00:03:16,200 Speaker 1: tell Speckle when I come back. I must ask him 36 00:03:16,240 --> 00:03:22,200 Speaker 1: more about it the next time I see him. That afternoon, 37 00:03:22,800 --> 00:03:26,960 Speaker 1: just before Arthur and Mabel came home from school, Blackie 38 00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:31,640 Speaker 1: saw Speckle out on the fence again. Wait a minute, 39 00:03:31,720 --> 00:03:35,400 Speaker 1: Speckle called the black cat. I want to ask you 40 00:03:35,440 --> 00:03:40,560 Speaker 1: about running away, and she hurried out in the yard. Oh, 41 00:03:40,600 --> 00:03:44,040 Speaker 1: I'm not going to run away for some time, said 42 00:03:44,040 --> 00:03:46,560 Speaker 1: the other cat. I've just moved here, and I want 43 00:03:46,560 --> 00:03:48,520 Speaker 1: to see what sort of place it is before I 44 00:03:48,600 --> 00:03:52,360 Speaker 1: run away. Perhaps I shan't run away at all. Anyhow, 45 00:03:52,960 --> 00:03:56,120 Speaker 1: I shall not for a long time. I never run 46 00:03:56,160 --> 00:03:59,040 Speaker 1: away until I get tired of a place, and then 47 00:03:59,080 --> 00:04:03,240 Speaker 1: I don't often stay away more than a day or so. Oh, 48 00:04:03,600 --> 00:04:06,720 Speaker 1: I wasn't going to ask you to run away, said Blackie, 49 00:04:07,160 --> 00:04:09,280 Speaker 1: But I want to know if running away makes a 50 00:04:09,320 --> 00:04:14,640 Speaker 1: cat a good fence jumper. Speckel thought for a few 51 00:04:14,720 --> 00:04:20,359 Speaker 1: seconds and then said slowly, well, yes, I suppose it does. 52 00:04:21,640 --> 00:04:25,000 Speaker 1: I know the first time I ran away, I could 53 00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:28,279 Speaker 1: not jump very well, and then a dog chased me. 54 00:04:29,120 --> 00:04:31,800 Speaker 1: I ran into a yard, and in front of me 55 00:04:32,400 --> 00:04:35,760 Speaker 1: was a fence. The only chance to get out of 56 00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:39,320 Speaker 1: the dog's way was by jumping the fence. I had 57 00:04:39,400 --> 00:04:43,120 Speaker 1: never jumped so high a fence before, but I did 58 00:04:43,160 --> 00:04:45,320 Speaker 1: at that time, and the dog could not get me, 59 00:04:45,440 --> 00:04:51,760 Speaker 1: so I got away. My gracious exclaimed Blackie. Something happened 60 00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:58,080 Speaker 1: to you that time? Was that an adventure? Yes, answered Speckel, 61 00:04:58,120 --> 00:05:02,600 Speaker 1: thinking a moment, I suppose you could call that an adventure. 62 00:05:03,160 --> 00:05:08,960 Speaker 1: But I had many more after that. Do dogs always 63 00:05:09,000 --> 00:05:12,120 Speaker 1: chase you when you run away? Blackie wanted to know. 64 00:05:13,000 --> 00:05:17,719 Speaker 1: Oh no, not always, answered the gray cat. But that 65 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:21,040 Speaker 1: is one of the things that may happen when you 66 00:05:21,160 --> 00:05:24,720 Speaker 1: run away. Oh, I won't like that part of it, 67 00:05:25,040 --> 00:05:28,080 Speaker 1: spoke Blackie. There is a dog in the house on 68 00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:31,279 Speaker 1: the other side of ours, and the family that lived 69 00:05:31,320 --> 00:05:34,240 Speaker 1: in the house into which your folks just moved also 70 00:05:34,440 --> 00:05:37,760 Speaker 1: kept one. He used to chase me until I scratched 71 00:05:37,800 --> 00:05:41,080 Speaker 1: his nose with my sharp claws one day, and after 72 00:05:41,120 --> 00:05:44,680 Speaker 1: that he left me alone. I was sorry to scratch him, 73 00:05:44,920 --> 00:05:49,760 Speaker 1: but it was the only thing to do. Yes, of course, 74 00:05:50,240 --> 00:05:54,280 Speaker 1: agreed Sparkle. It is a good thing we have sharp claws. 75 00:05:54,839 --> 00:06:00,520 Speaker 1: They are especially for scratching dogs that chase us. I 76 00:06:00,600 --> 00:06:03,200 Speaker 1: wonder if there is any other way of scaring a 77 00:06:03,279 --> 00:06:08,240 Speaker 1: dog besides scratching him, said Blackie. Perhaps there may be, 78 00:06:08,600 --> 00:06:12,680 Speaker 1: said Speckel. It would be nice if there was. I 79 00:06:12,760 --> 00:06:14,760 Speaker 1: may learn how to do that if I run away 80 00:06:14,760 --> 00:06:19,240 Speaker 1: to look for adventures. Oh so you are going to 81 00:06:19,360 --> 00:06:23,240 Speaker 1: run away, are you, Blackie? Well, I'm thinking of it. 82 00:06:23,480 --> 00:06:28,160 Speaker 1: Will you come not right away? At least I think 83 00:06:28,240 --> 00:06:32,840 Speaker 1: I will not, said the other cat. Still, you might 84 00:06:32,920 --> 00:06:35,240 Speaker 1: call over the fence to me when you go, and 85 00:06:35,440 --> 00:06:41,760 Speaker 1: perhaps I'll come along. Hullo, who are they asked Speckle quickly, 86 00:06:41,880 --> 00:06:46,160 Speaker 1: as he saw a boy and girl coming in the yard. 87 00:06:46,839 --> 00:06:52,320 Speaker 1: Oh that's Arthur and Mabel, my little masters, explained Blackie. 88 00:06:52,760 --> 00:06:56,039 Speaker 1: But Speckle did not stop to listen. With a jump, 89 00:06:56,240 --> 00:07:00,800 Speaker 1: he was on top of the fence. Excuse me, called 90 00:07:00,839 --> 00:07:03,080 Speaker 1: the gray cat to Blackie. But that boy looks just 91 00:07:03,160 --> 00:07:05,799 Speaker 1: like one who once tied a tin can to my tail, 92 00:07:06,880 --> 00:07:11,160 Speaker 1: the idea, meowed Blackie. Arthur is a good boy and 93 00:07:11,280 --> 00:07:14,720 Speaker 1: loves cats. He'd never do anything like that to me, 94 00:07:15,240 --> 00:07:20,080 Speaker 1: nor to you or any other animal. You never can tell, 95 00:07:20,480 --> 00:07:24,120 Speaker 1: said Speckle. Safety first, as I hear they are teaching 96 00:07:24,160 --> 00:07:27,440 Speaker 1: the children in school, I'll just stay on my side 97 00:07:27,480 --> 00:07:29,560 Speaker 1: of the fence until I can see what kind of 98 00:07:29,720 --> 00:07:34,320 Speaker 1: boy he is. And though Blackie kept saying that Arthur 99 00:07:34,520 --> 00:07:38,040 Speaker 1: was a good boy and would not bother cats, Speckle 100 00:07:38,080 --> 00:07:44,200 Speaker 1: would not stay. Of course, Mabel and her brother did 101 00:07:44,200 --> 00:07:47,560 Speaker 1: not understand what their cat said to the other one, 102 00:07:48,120 --> 00:07:52,600 Speaker 1: for they did not know animal language. Though Blackie and 103 00:07:52,640 --> 00:07:55,600 Speaker 1: the other cats know what boys and girls say to them, 104 00:07:56,320 --> 00:07:59,880 Speaker 1: or a great deal of it. I think, did you 105 00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:04,400 Speaker 1: see that strange cat, asked Mabel of her brother. Yeah, 106 00:08:04,440 --> 00:08:07,280 Speaker 1: I guess it belongs to the folks next door, spoke Arthur. 107 00:08:07,800 --> 00:08:10,120 Speaker 1: Now I'm going to teach Blackie to stand on her 108 00:08:10,240 --> 00:08:15,600 Speaker 1: hind legs. Arthur picked Blackie up and rubbed her under 109 00:08:15,640 --> 00:08:19,520 Speaker 1: the ears. Cats like to be rubbed under the ears, 110 00:08:19,560 --> 00:08:21,600 Speaker 1: and they will purr if you do it to them, 111 00:08:22,480 --> 00:08:25,400 Speaker 1: and when the cat purs it shows it is happy. 112 00:08:28,040 --> 00:08:31,200 Speaker 1: Just why cats like to be rubbed or tickled under 113 00:08:31,200 --> 00:08:34,559 Speaker 1: the ears, I do not know anymore than I know 114 00:08:34,640 --> 00:08:37,160 Speaker 1: why a pig likes to be scratched on his back. 115 00:08:38,360 --> 00:08:43,120 Speaker 1: I only know that this is so a hop toad 116 00:08:43,240 --> 00:08:47,560 Speaker 1: likes to be scratched on his back. Also, many a 117 00:08:47,640 --> 00:08:50,040 Speaker 1: time I have gone quietly up to a toad in 118 00:08:50,080 --> 00:08:53,840 Speaker 1: the grass and with a little twig have scratched his back, 119 00:08:55,120 --> 00:08:57,960 Speaker 1: And mister toad will sit there quietly and will poff 120 00:08:58,080 --> 00:09:01,560 Speaker 1: himself out like a little balloon, because he is so 121 00:09:01,920 --> 00:09:07,120 Speaker 1: pleased to have his back scratched. But you must do 122 00:09:07,240 --> 00:09:14,360 Speaker 1: it very gently. Anyhow, Arthur rubbed Blackie under her ears, 123 00:09:14,600 --> 00:09:17,800 Speaker 1: and the black cat liked it and purred in the 124 00:09:17,840 --> 00:09:23,720 Speaker 1: boy's arms. And now for your trick, Blackie, said Arthur. 125 00:09:26,679 --> 00:09:30,240 Speaker 1: It is not easy to teach a cat to stand 126 00:09:30,640 --> 00:09:35,559 Speaker 1: on her hind legs, As Arthur very soon found out, 127 00:09:37,400 --> 00:09:41,000 Speaker 1: cats do not learn tricks as easily as dogs do, 128 00:09:41,679 --> 00:09:44,920 Speaker 1: though I have seen performing cats on the stage of 129 00:09:44,960 --> 00:09:50,120 Speaker 1: a theater. They climbed ladders, walked a tight rope, and 130 00:09:50,240 --> 00:09:56,160 Speaker 1: did many other little tricks. Blackie did not know exactly 131 00:09:56,240 --> 00:10:00,440 Speaker 1: what Arthur wanted her to do. The little oh Boy 132 00:10:00,520 --> 00:10:03,560 Speaker 1: put the black cat in a corner so she could 133 00:10:03,679 --> 00:10:07,440 Speaker 1: lean her back against the sides of the room and 134 00:10:07,600 --> 00:10:12,679 Speaker 1: not fall over. Then he lifted her front feet off 135 00:10:12,720 --> 00:10:17,040 Speaker 1: the floor so that she was resting on her hind ones. 136 00:10:18,679 --> 00:10:24,640 Speaker 1: Now stand up that way, Arthur said, speaking kindly. Blackie 137 00:10:24,720 --> 00:10:27,559 Speaker 1: did it for a few seconds, and then got down 138 00:10:27,600 --> 00:10:30,160 Speaker 1: on all four feet, as she was in the habit 139 00:10:30,200 --> 00:10:35,520 Speaker 1: of standing. No, not that, said Arthur, lifting her up again. 140 00:10:36,080 --> 00:10:40,480 Speaker 1: Stand on your hind legs, Blackie. But Blackie did not 141 00:10:40,679 --> 00:10:46,280 Speaker 1: do it very well. Let me try, said Mabel, who 142 00:10:46,360 --> 00:10:49,520 Speaker 1: was watching her brother. She will jump through my hands, 143 00:10:49,520 --> 00:10:53,480 Speaker 1: and perhaps she will stand up for me. I'll try 144 00:10:53,520 --> 00:10:57,160 Speaker 1: once more, said Arthur, and then you may have a turn, Mabel. 145 00:10:59,400 --> 00:11:04,480 Speaker 1: But neither Arthur nor his sister could make Blackie stand 146 00:11:04,559 --> 00:11:09,400 Speaker 1: up on her hind legs. Blackie just did not want 147 00:11:09,520 --> 00:11:14,120 Speaker 1: to do it, or perhaps she could not. Maybe when 148 00:11:14,120 --> 00:11:16,800 Speaker 1: I come back after having run away. I'll do it 149 00:11:16,840 --> 00:11:20,360 Speaker 1: for them, thought the black cat, as she rubbed up 150 00:11:20,360 --> 00:11:25,760 Speaker 1: against Mabel's legs. Now jump through my hands, Blackie called Mabel, 151 00:11:26,160 --> 00:11:28,640 Speaker 1: and she made a loop of her arms in front 152 00:11:28,640 --> 00:11:33,960 Speaker 1: of Blackie. This trick. The black cat knew very well. 153 00:11:35,520 --> 00:11:37,800 Speaker 1: If she would only do the standing on her hind 154 00:11:37,880 --> 00:11:41,000 Speaker 1: legs trick as well as she does yours, she would 155 00:11:41,040 --> 00:11:45,959 Speaker 1: be a fine cat. Arthur said, Blackie is a nice 156 00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:50,320 Speaker 1: cat anyhow, and I love her, spoke Mabel, cuddling the 157 00:11:50,400 --> 00:11:55,160 Speaker 1: cat in her arms. That night, when the children were 158 00:11:55,200 --> 00:11:59,360 Speaker 1: studying their lessons, Blackie lay on a soft cushion at 159 00:11:59,360 --> 00:12:05,280 Speaker 1: their feet, hurrying happily, and all the while the black 160 00:12:05,320 --> 00:12:10,760 Speaker 1: cat was thinking about running away. I suppose Mabel and 161 00:12:10,880 --> 00:12:15,400 Speaker 1: Arthur will feel badly at first, thought Blackie. But I 162 00:12:15,480 --> 00:12:18,880 Speaker 1: won't be away very long, at least not the first time. 163 00:12:19,920 --> 00:12:25,360 Speaker 1: I think I'll run off Tomorrow. The next day came, 164 00:12:26,200 --> 00:12:30,319 Speaker 1: and after breakfast, when Arthur and Mabel had gone to school, 165 00:12:30,960 --> 00:12:35,120 Speaker 1: Blackie went out in the yard. She had made up 166 00:12:35,120 --> 00:12:38,320 Speaker 1: her mind to run away, and she wanted to see 167 00:12:38,360 --> 00:12:43,520 Speaker 1: if Speckle might not like to go along. Blackie did 168 00:12:43,559 --> 00:12:46,800 Speaker 1: not have to pack up any clothes or take anything 169 00:12:46,840 --> 00:12:49,360 Speaker 1: to eat with her when she started to run away. 170 00:12:50,559 --> 00:12:56,000 Speaker 1: Cats can't do those things. The only clothes they need 171 00:12:56,160 --> 00:12:59,440 Speaker 1: is their coat of fur, and that is always with them. 172 00:13:01,000 --> 00:13:04,000 Speaker 1: I have seen dogs with little blankets on, and even 173 00:13:04,080 --> 00:13:08,160 Speaker 1: a sort of overcoat, but cats are different and do 174 00:13:08,240 --> 00:13:14,079 Speaker 1: not wear them. And Blackie could not take with her 175 00:13:14,160 --> 00:13:18,040 Speaker 1: anything to eat. She thought she would have no trouble 176 00:13:18,080 --> 00:13:20,720 Speaker 1: in picking up what she wanted as she went along. 177 00:13:22,520 --> 00:13:24,520 Speaker 1: I may even stop in a house some day and 178 00:13:24,559 --> 00:13:29,160 Speaker 1: get milk, the black cat said to herself. Out in 179 00:13:29,240 --> 00:13:34,839 Speaker 1: the yard, she went close to the fence now called 180 00:13:34,840 --> 00:13:37,880 Speaker 1: black pe to Speckle. Come on out, I want to 181 00:13:37,920 --> 00:13:42,000 Speaker 1: speak to you. What is it, asked the gray cat, 182 00:13:42,400 --> 00:13:46,040 Speaker 1: sticking his head up over the fence. I'm going to 183 00:13:46,200 --> 00:13:50,080 Speaker 1: run away, answered Blackie. Don't you want to come along? 184 00:13:51,800 --> 00:13:56,600 Speaker 1: My goodness? Run away? Exclaimed Speckel. So you have made 185 00:13:56,679 --> 00:14:03,680 Speaker 1: up your mind, have you? Yes? I'm going? We'll you come? No, 186 00:14:04,559 --> 00:14:09,320 Speaker 1: I think not, Speckel said slowly. I don't believe I 187 00:14:09,440 --> 00:14:13,840 Speaker 1: will run away today. You see I have hardly gotten 188 00:14:13,880 --> 00:14:17,680 Speaker 1: to know all the cats around her yet. I'll wait 189 00:14:17,679 --> 00:14:20,880 Speaker 1: a while, but don't let me keep you from running. 190 00:14:20,920 --> 00:14:25,040 Speaker 1: If you really want to go, yes, I do want 191 00:14:25,080 --> 00:14:29,120 Speaker 1: to go, Blackie said, Perhaps when I come back, I 192 00:14:29,200 --> 00:14:31,400 Speaker 1: may be able to jump a fence as well as you, 193 00:14:32,000 --> 00:14:34,720 Speaker 1: and I may do the standing on my hind legs 194 00:14:34,760 --> 00:14:40,040 Speaker 1: trick that Arthur tried to teach me, perhaps, said Speckel. 195 00:14:40,360 --> 00:14:47,880 Speaker 1: Well good luck to you, Thank you, answered Blackie. Then 196 00:14:47,920 --> 00:14:52,040 Speaker 1: she looked toward the house. No one was watching her. 197 00:14:53,280 --> 00:14:56,560 Speaker 1: Blackie went slowly down the front walk to the street. 198 00:14:57,560 --> 00:15:00,680 Speaker 1: I don't need to run at first, she thought, I'll 199 00:15:00,720 --> 00:15:02,960 Speaker 1: begin to run when I get out of sight of 200 00:15:03,000 --> 00:15:06,480 Speaker 1: the house. The children can't see me, for they are 201 00:15:06,520 --> 00:15:10,000 Speaker 1: at school, and I am glad of it, as they 202 00:15:10,080 --> 00:15:13,360 Speaker 1: might cry if they saw me going. But I'll soon 203 00:15:13,440 --> 00:15:19,400 Speaker 1: be back. Only I can't tell them. So Blackie went 204 00:15:19,480 --> 00:15:24,160 Speaker 1: slowly to the front gate. She went out in the street. 205 00:15:25,520 --> 00:15:29,800 Speaker 1: Then she went slowly down the sidewalk, and when she 206 00:15:30,000 --> 00:15:36,200 Speaker 1: was out of sight of her house, she began to run. Now, 207 00:15:36,320 --> 00:16:00,760 Speaker 1: said Blackie to herself, at last, I am really running away.