Week 4 Story: The Cat with One Escape

The Cat with One Escape: An Adaptation of the Fox and the Cat

(Photo by: Public Domain Pictures)

Fred the Fox and Katy the Cat could commonly be found on a warm spring day sprawling in the sunny meadow adjacent to the McDonald Family Farm.  Prone to engaging in philosophical debates and quick banter, it had been well established that while Fred was smarter, Katy was kinder.  Where Fred would internally debate the potential ramifications of sharing his daily catch with Katy, Katy would without reserve offer Fred an equal share of every meal.  He had saved her as a kitten from the McDonalds’ hounds, and Katy regularly deferred to his infinite wisdom. 

It so happened one sunny spring afternoon that Farmer McDonald had taken a trip to town.  His sons’ favorite unsupervised pastime was to let the hounds loose to see which could fetch the largest prize.  Fred and Katy were enjoying the day in their favorite spot in the sunny meadow.

As soon as Fred heard the hounds set out on their hunt, he alerted Katy by whispering haughtily, “If the hounds are witty enough to find us, I have 101 different evasion tactics!”

Katy blinked her eyes slowly and drank in the familiar arrogance of her best friend’s drawling voice.  “I have only one way to escape the hounds, Fred, but it hasn’t failed me yet,” she purred serenely.  The hounds had not scared her for the last two years since Fred had saved her.

Fred knew all of Katy’s responses to every situation.  That was his job, to know what Katy would do and protect her from making mistakes. 

“Well if you get confused when the time comes, follow my lead, okay, Katy? I’ll always take care of you when it comes down to the wire,” said Fred, always acting the big brother. 

An ominous howl sounded, much closer than either Katy or Fred had anticipated.  The hounds usually went west toward the lake on the other side of the farm.  They almost never turned east toward the meadow. 

Katy’s tail became puffed and her fur stood on end.  Fred shrank to the ground, his mind racing with his evasion tactics as his eyes flicked around the meadow.  He usually had time to decide which he would use before the hounds were so near.   

The pounding of angry paws drew closer and closer, and Katy nimbly jumped to her favorite branch in her favorite maple tree.  Her fur was the perfect shade of brown to blend in, and all that could be seen were her eyes growing wider with horror as she watch Fred freeze. 

Katy held her breath as she watched Fred’s internal struggle.  He was overwhelmed with his options.  He couldn’t choose under pressure. 

The hounds made their way into the clearing, and as the first made it to Fred, his eyes lifted pleadingly to Katy.  It was over quickly and Katy was left feeling hollow and alone. 

“I should’ve offered he jump up first. He might’ve listened to me just this once,” mewled Katy, sounding very much like the lost kitten she had been before Fred found her. 

Her next whisper was lost on the wind as she broke down, “I should’ve kept us both safe with the one way I knew. What use are 101 different options if you’re too scared to choose?”

Author's Note: 

I adapted this from The Fox and the Cat.  I left much of the story the same, but added a contemporary spin, as well as changing the attitude of the cat.  I felt the message was more meaningful this way.  Having 101 ways to do something won't help you if you freeze in the moment, but having a friend reach out who knows one way to do the same thing can often bring you down off a ledge of panic.  

Bibliography:

The Fables of Aesop by Joseph Jacobs. Web Source.