Herman's Long Beautiful Tail

Herman was a little field mouse, who lived next door to Freddi and Harry down in the green meadow. When they went out to play together in the green meadow, they were always on their guard for the  BIG BLACK CAT. They never knew where or when he would show up. Freddie and Harry,  wore whistles around their necks, just  in case they got in trouble.  If ever there was a problem, all they had to do was to blow their whistles loud and long. Herman was too proud to wear a whistle.  He thought he could take care of himself.

The father of  Freddie and Harry was the police chief of the green meadow police department, and for years he had kept the green meadow safe from any invasion. In fact, Freddie, Harry, and Herman had to attend all the safety classes before they were allowed to play in the meadow.

Herman was about to learn a very hard lesson. You see, Herman, had the longest tail of all the mice in the whole green forest and he thought he was better than anyone else. He thought his tail made him the fastest runner in the green meadow. Why, sometimes he thought that he was flying.

One afternoon while the boys were out in the meadow playing, the BIG BLACK CAT was lurking in the tall meadow grass, keeping an eye on the boys.  Freddie saw him crouched down watching them, waiting to make his first move. He quickly reached for his whistle and started to blow it loud and long.to warn all the mice in  the meadow.  Herman laughed.  He didn't believe Freddie. Because he didn't see the BIG BLACK CAT,  he ignored the warning and continued to play. Freddi and Harry tried to convince Herman that he had better leave, but Herman wouldn't listen. So, Freddi and Harry obeyed their instruction and left for home.

THE BIG BLACK cat was delighted that Herman didn't listen.  Now he had his chance to corner Herman for himself.  Herman wasn't paying much attention, when suddenly he saw the BIG BLACK CAT spring up out of the tall meadow grass and run toward him.. Immediately, Herman started to run for his house. Just before he reached his home,The BIG BLACK CAT caught Herman by his tail and bit it completely off.  Herman kept running. He didn't even know what had happened. He ran into his house, up stairs and hid under his bed.  Herman was so scared, he was shaking all over. "Why didn't I listen?" he cried to himself. Then he noticed that his tail was gone. "What happened to my long beautiful tail? cried Herman. He was so proud of his long beautiful tail, but it wasn't long any more!

His mother was calling him for supper. " Herman, please come down for supper." she asked politely.  Herman ignored her. Finally, his mother came up stairs looking for Herman.  "I saw you running into the house. Don't you try to hide from me", his mother said.  Herman moving under his bed gave him away.  His mother knew that he was under the bed. "Herman', she said, 'why are you hiding under the bed?"  Slowly, Herman, crawled out from under his bed and faced his mother. "What ever happened to your tail, Herman?" exclaimed his mother.  She was shocked.  Herman was embarrassed to even go down for dinner. "Mother, why can't I eat in my bedroom tonight?" asked Herman hopefully. "No Herman, you have a lot of explaining to do for your father. Now you dry your tears and come down now," answered mother sharply.

At the dinner table that night Herman didn't eat very much.  He wasn't very hungry. It was hard to sit in his chair without his long tail. He missed curling it up under him to sit closer to the table.  His father's expression was very grave.  "How many times, Herman, have you been warned about the dangers in the green meadow? Because you disobeyed, you will have to go to bed early and stay out of green meadow until you have attend the safety classes again." his father told him. Herman agreed that he was wrong and asked forgiveness from his mother and father, but there was still one BIG question. "Daddy' he asked,'do you think my tail will ever grow again?"

Boys and girls, what do you think?  Did Herman's tail ever grow again? Do you think he learned his lesson? Do you think he will wear a whistle now with Freddi and Harry to warn others about the dangers in the green meadows?