19 LITTLE OWL

Little Owl lived with Mother Owl.

One night Mother Owl said, “Whoo!

Big owls say ‘Whoo, whoo! ’

You must say ‘Whoo, whoo.' ”

Little Owl said, “Oh, no, Mother!

I don't want to say ‘Whoo, whoo.' ”

Mother Owl said, “You must say ‘Whoo.’

The boy and the cat will hear you.

They will run away from you.”

Little Owl would not say “Whoo.”

Mother Owl said, “A cat will get you! ”

Little Owl said, “What is a cat? ”

Mother Owl said, “A cat has big eyes.

It can see at night.

It eats birds.”

Little Owl said, “What do cats say?

Do cats say ‘Whoo, whoo, ' Mother? ”

“No, no! ”said Mother Owl.

“Cats say ‘Mew, mew! ' ”

“Mother Mother! ”said Little Owl.

“I want to see a cat!

I want to hear her say ‘Mew, mew! ' ”

Mother Owl said, “You must say ‘Whoo.’

You are not a good little owl.”

One day Mother Owl flew away.

Little Owl sat in a tree.

“Mew, mew! ”he said. “Mew, mew! ”

A cat heard him say, “Mew, mew! ”

She said, “Little Owl, Little Owl!

Can you eat a mouse? ”

“Oh, yes! ”said Little Owl.

The cat said, “Do you eat birds? ”

“Oh, no! I am a bird, ”said Little Owl.

The cat said, “I eat birds.

I will eat you, Little Owl! ”

A boy came to the tree.

His name was Bobbie.

He was a kind little boy.

He saw Little Owl and the cat.

Bobbie said, “Cat, go away!

You must not eat Little Owl!

I want to take him home with me.

I want to give him some dinner.

Good-bye, Cat, good-bye! ”

So Bobbie took Little Owl home with him.

Little Owl was not happy.

He wanted to go to his mother.

That night Mother Owl came to him.

Little Owl said, “Mother, Mother!

I will be a good little owl.

I will say ‘Whoo, whoo! ’

Take me home with you.”

Mother Owl said, “No, no, Little Owl!

I can not take you with me.”

In the morning she flew away.

Little Owl would not eat his dinner.

All day he said, ‘Whoo, whoo! ’

Bobbie's mother heard Little Owl.

She said, “Bobbie, hear Little Owl!

He wants to go to his mother.

Take him to his home.”

Bobbie took Little Owl to the woods.

“Mother Owl! Mother Owl! ”he said.

“Do you want Little Owl? ”

Mother Owl said, “Whoo, whoo! ”

Little Owl said, “Whoo, whoo, ”too.

Bobbie gave Little Owl to his mother.

How happy they all were!

(Anne Schütze)

Word list

whoo, whoo: a sound that owls make

You Practice

A) Answer the following questions.

1) Why did Mother Owl tell Little Owl he must say “Whoo, whoo”?

2) Why did Mother Owl want the cat and the boy to stay away from Little Owl?

3) What did Little Owl want to see?

4) Why did Bobbie take Little Owl home?

5) Why couldn't Mother Owl take Little Owl home the night she saw him at Bobbie's house?

B) Correct order—Read these sentences carefully and order them 1-6.

_____ Mother Owl visits Little Owl at Bobbie's house.

_____ Bobbie saved Little Owl from the cat by taking him home.

_____ Little Owl is curious about cats.

_____ A cat came by while Mother Owl was gone.

_____ Little Owl says “Whoo, whoo”after Bobbie takes him home.

_____ Mother Owl wants Little Owl to say “Whoo, whoo”to scare away cats and boys.

C) Drawing—Draw and colour the following things.

1) Draw Mother Owl and Little Owl.

2) Draw Bobbie.