HOW THE BOBCAT LOST HIS TAIL
AT ONE TIME THE BOBCAT HAD A LONG, THICK, FURRY TAIL. HE LIVED IN A COUNTRY IN THE NORTH WITH THE NATIVE PEOPLE OF CANADA. HE NEEDED THIS LONG FURRY TAIL, BECAUSE WHEN WINTER CAME IT WAS SO COLD THAT THE FROST WOULD NIP HIS NOSE. HE WOULD TAKE HIS TAIL AND WRAP IT AROUND HIS NOSE TO KEEP IT FROM FREEZING. BUT THERE WAS ONCE A BIG CAT THAT WAS KIND OF LAZY AND DIDN'T TAKE CARE OF HIS TAIL. HIS MOTHER WAS AFTER HIM ALL THE TIME. YOU SEE, ANYTHING THAT LONG AND FURRY HAD TO BE TAKEN CARE OF. IT HAD TO BE COMBED AND ALL THE BURRS HAD TO BE TAKEN OUT OF IT.
IT REALLY TOOK A LOT OF WORK, BUT THIS CAT HAD OTHER THINGS TO DO AND HE JUST DIDN'T TAKE CARE OF HIS TAIL. IT GOT ALL MATTED AND DIRTY. ONE DAY HE WENT DOWN TO THE RIVER TO GET A DRINK, HE FLIPPED HIS TAIL OUT OVER THE WATER AND AS HE DID SO, A FISH JUMPED UP AND GRABBED HIS TAIL. HE FLUNG IT UP ON THE BANK AND ATE IT UP QUICKLY. "WOW, THIS IS GREAT HE THOUGHT." "WHAT A GREAT WAY TO GET DINNER." AND SO HE WENT OFF FOR A WHILE TO THINK ABOUT THIS.
A LITTLE WHILE LATER HE CAME BACK. "I'M GOING TO TRY THAT AGAIN" HE THOUGHT. SO HE FLICKED HIS TAIL OUT OVER THE WATER, BUT NO FISH JUMPED UP. SO HE FLICKED IT AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN. FINALLY A FISH JUMPED UP AND GRABBED IT. HE FLUNG THE FISH ON THE BANK AND ATE IT. WELL THAT WAS A LOT OF WORK FOR THIS CAT. HE WAS TIRED NOW, BUT WANTED TO CATCH MORE FISH. HE THOUGHT TO HIMSELF, "I KNOW WHAT I WILL DO, I'LL LAY ALONGSIDE OF THE RIVER AND I'LL TAKE MY TAIL AND FLICK IT INTO THE WATER AND KIND OF LET IT LAY THERE AND I'LL TAKE A NAP. WHILE I AM ASLEEP ALL KINDS OF FISH WILL COME UP AND GRAB HOLD OF MY TAIL. WHEN I WAKE UP I WILL FLING ALL OF THEM ON THE BANK AND I WILL HAVE ENOUGH FOOD TO FEED EVERYBODY. THEN THEY WON'T CALL ME LAZY ANYMORE."
SO HE TOOK HIS TAIL AND FLICKED IT OUT OVER THE WATER. HE VERY CAREFULLY LAYED HIMSELF DOWN ON THE BANK AND WENT TO SLEEP. BUT WHILE HE WAS ASLEEP, A BLIZZARD CAME AND HIT WITH A HARSH COLD. WHEN HE WOKE UP, HIS NOSE WAS SO COLD AND HE TRIED TO PULL HIS TAIL UP AROUND HIS NOSE, BUT HE COULDN'T PULL IT LOOSE. IT HAD TURNED SO COLD THAT THE RIVER FROZE RIGHT OVER HIS TAIL. HE JERKED ON HIS TAIL AND HE JERKED AGAIN AND AGAIN. FINALLY HE GAVE A BIG YANK AND HIS TAIL BROKE RIGHT OFF IN THE WATER. AND THAT IS HOW THE BOBCAT LOST HIS TAIL.