Kitten-Cat was looking very smart.

Mamma-Cat had washed him all over with her tongue that afternoon, so that his fur shone soft and clean. Then Little-Girl had picked him up and tied a neat new collar with a silver bell round his neck. The bell tinkled when he moved.
Kitten-Cat felt very grand. He decided to go for a walk all by himself down the pavement. He wanted everyone to see his neat new collar with the silver bell.

‘Don’t run off on your own, Kitten-Cat,’ miaowed Mamma-Cat, running after him. ‘Wait for me!’

But Kitten-Cat didn’t listen. He was feeling much too grand.

Kitten-Cat ran along the pavement.
He ran past the newsagent’s shop.
He ran past the baker’s shop.

‘Come here, Kitten-Cat!’ miaowed Mamma-Cat, running after him. ‘Don’t run off on your own. There may be nasty barking dogs about!’

But Kitten-Cat didn’t listen. He was feeling much too grand.

‘Come here, Kitten-Cat!’ miaowed Mamma-Cat, running after him. ‘Don’t run off on your own. There may be big noisy cars about!’

But Kitten-Cat wouldn’t listen. He was feeling much too grand.

Kitten-Cat ran past the ice-cream van.
He ran past the school children.
He ran into the road!

‘Oh no! Kitten-Cat! STOP!’ wailed Mamma-Cat.
‘Oh no! STOP!’ called the school children.

SQUEAL went the brakes of the big noisy cars.
STOP went the cars!
STOP went the bus!
STOP went the bicycles!

And

STOP went Kitten-Cat, right in the middle of the road!
SHUT went Kitten-Cat’s eyes in fright.

The school children picked up Kitten-Cat and carried him home to Little-Girl. Little Girl cuddled him, then put him in his basket and covered him with a blanket.

Mamma-Cat licked him till he felt better, and his fur shone soft and clean. The silver bell on his collar still tinkled when he moved.

But poor little Kitten-Cat. He did not feel grand any more.
He just felt scared and VERY SILLY! 

Illustrations copyright © Philomena Saldanha 2007
Text copyright © Rohini Chowdhury 2007