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Cat 'n Mouse

   Once upon a time there lived a mouse, not an ordinary mouse mind you, but a wizard who was called Nickademas. One day Nickademas was working in the meadow when suddenly from out of nowhere a big orange cat landed right in front of him.
   "Hello-o-o," said the cat, with a big grin. "My name is Hogan. I believe I've just found my lunch," he said.
   Startled, Nickademas said, "You really don't want to eat me. I wouldn't taste very good, besides I am a powerful wizard."
   Hogan almost fell over with laughter. "A wizard!?! Now that's a good one. Well, wizard, tell me why I shouldn't eat you and be quick about it. I'm very hungry," Hogan said.
   Nickademas said, "If you will let me go free, I will grant you a wish. You may wish for anything you want." He added, "But, be careful what you wish for, it could backfire."
   "You mean I can wish for anything I want, anything?" Hogan said. "Hmm... I always wanted to fly. Can you change me into a bird?"
   "Sure, if that is what you really want," said Nickademas with a grin.
   Hogan thought for a moment and then he said, "OK, I wish to become a bird. A high flying bird."
   In the blink of an eye Hogan was transformed into a beautiful swallow. Nickademas said, "Remember, be careful...."
   But Hogan had already taken off and was almost out of sight by then. "That cat will never bother me again," Nickademas said, and went back to work.
   Meanwhile, Hogan was getting tired and decided to land and rest awhile. Not knowing any better, Hogan landed on the ground a few yards from a farmhouse. "What was it that mouse said?" he thought. From out behind the porch a big gray cat leaped out and pounced on Hogan, gobbling him down.
   Back in the meadow, Nickademas mused, "I told him to be careful."

Two Chickens

   It was a bright and sunny day. The birds were singing in the trees and a gentle breeze was blowing. In the pasture behind the big old weather-beaten barn were two chickens discussing the weather.
   "What a beautiful day," said Henrietta, the first chicken. "Not a cloud in the sky."
   "Yes, isn't it?" replied Gertrude, the other chicken. "When is Farmer Smith coming with our feed? I'm starving."
   He was supposed to be here by now, He's always late," Henrietta said. "Wait, didn't I hear a sound coming from the barn?"
   "Why, yes. But, it didn't sound like the feed bin," Gertrude whispered, "More like the tool shed door."
   Just then, Farmer Smith appeared from the barn with a very sharp double-bladed ax. As he walked toward our two chickens, they started flapping their wings.
   "Gertrude, run for your life!" shouted Henrietta. But, Gertrude didn't move. "Run, Gertrude! she shouted again.
   Gertrude was so scared that she couldn't move. Farmer Smith was getting closer and closer, but still Gertrude did not move. Just as she thought it was the end for her, Farmer Smith stepped over her and stopped at a small tree a few yards behind her, where he swung the ax and chopped it down.
   Henrietta came back and said, "I knew he wouldn't kill one of us, we're too important to him. He needs us for fresh eggs."
   Still shaking from fear Gertrude said, "Yes, you are right. I wonder when he is going to feed us?"

   Once upon a time, there were two oak trees. These two trees were on the edge of a forest, near a meadow through which a small, but steady stream flowed. The first oak, the mightiest of the two, has stood in the same spot for almost two hundred years, it's branches and leaves covering a wide area. The second oak was much younger, therefore smaller, but just as healthy. One morning while the sun was just rising over the meadow, the smaller oak said, "I wish that I was over there by that stream where my roots could get plenty of water and my leaves would be exposed to the sun all day."

   "I'm very old," said the big oak. "One day, I will die and you will have all the sun you want. It will do you no good to wish for something you can't have. Once you start growing, you cannot move."

   "I'm sure there must be a way; besides, I can't wait until you die. That could take a very long time, the small oak said.

   As the small oak was complaining, a tractor and wagon were coming down the lane through the meadow. The farmer and his two sons were headed straight for the two oaks. When they arrived, they stopped the tractor, started to unload the chain saws and various other wood cutting equipment. The farmer took one look at the mighty oak and decided it was much too big to cut down. He then walked over to the smaller oak, began to cut it down and cut it up for firewood. The two sons loaded the pieces onto the wagon, drove back to stream and stacked the wood on the bank in the sunlight to dry.

   When they were finished, there was only a few branches and piles of saw dust left where the smaller oak had once stood. The mighty oak thought to himself. "I was wrong, maybe now he'll be satisfied." For the little oak had received his wish. He had truly found a way to move over by the stream and into the sunlight.