Mrs. Robin

Mrs. Robin was busy taking care of her three babies one spring morning,, when one of the babies looked over the side of the nest and screamed.

“What is the matter?” asked Mrs. Robin, looking over the edge of the nest and putting her wing over her baby’s eyes. “Oh dear! It is that blasted cat!”

Mrs. Robin had had several run-ins with an orange and white neighbourhood cat over the past few weeks. The cat had always been harmless, but not on this particular occasion. This time, the cat had climbed up the tree and was just one branch away from the nest.

“Little ones,” said Mrs. Robin to her babies. “Stay in the middle of the nest and whatever you do, do not look down.”

She did not want to subject her babies to any form of danger. She was already frightened by the cat and she didn’t want her children to be frightened either.

Once her babies were all cuddled up in the middle of the nest, Mrs. Robin went down the tree, close to where the cat was sitting.

“Mr. Cat,” said Mrs. Robin, trying not to show him that she was frightened. “You are just trying to frighten my babies and I will have no part of it.”

“And,” said the cat defiantly. “What are you going to do about it?”

“Oh,” said Mrs. Robin, angrily. “I will think of something. You just wait and see.”

The cat laughed and climbed down the tree. Mrs. Robin watched as the cat’s owner set his food bowl on the porch. The cat ate his food and went inside the house.

Mrs. Robin flew down to the porch. She saw an old burlap sack sitting beside the bowl. She had an idea but she would wait until the cat’s owner filled the bowl with food again.

The next morning, Mrs. Robin was awake very early. She saw the cat’s owner fill the cat’s bowl with food. As soon as the cat’s owner went back inside, Mrs. Robin flew down to the porch and dragged the burlap sack over top of the bowl. She then flew back up to her nest and she watched the porch.

It wasn’t long before the cat came out onto the porch looking for his food.

“That is strange,” said the cat. “My owner feeds me every morning. I don’t see my food.”

The cat looked around but could not see his bowl. He remembered what Mrs. Robin had said to him the previous day.

“If you give me back my bowl,” said the cat, “I promise to leave you and your babies alone.”

Mrs. Robin flew down to the porch and dragged the burlap sack off the bowl.

“Thank you,” said the cat, devouring his food.

“You are welcome,” said Mrs. Robin.

The cat never bothered Mrs. Robin again after that day. In fact, he became friends with her and he helped her to keep her babies safe.


 

Moral of this Story:

  • Even in the face of danger, courage and cleverness can protect those we love and turn adversaries into allies.
  • Example: Despite her fear, Mrs. Robin bravely faced the cat, saying, ‘You are just trying to frighten my babies and I will have no part of it.’ Her resourceful action with the burlap sack not only safeguarded her chicks but also transformed the cat from a threat into a guardian.

Further Reading

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