Kitten's Tale

Have you ever wondered about Kitten’s mysterious past?  She mentioned in one episode that she was in a swamp before she was taken to the pound.  How did she end up in a swamp?  Did Kitten have a family before she was adopted?  Tune it to find out.  

New words in this episode:

• Traumatize
• Dramatize
• Fatigued
• Mesmerizing
• Memorizing
• Transpired
• Downstream
• Upstream

French Words:

• ma chère ( my dear)
• Transpirer (what happened or to sweat)

Latin Words:

• Palus - marsh or swamp land
• Coccothrinax argentata - silver palm tree
• Lontra canadensis -river otter
• Lepomis macrochirus - Blue Gill fish
• Lepomis gulosus - Warmouth fish
• Fundulus confluentas - Marsh Killifish
• Amia calva - Ruddy Bowfin fish

Themes

• Bravery
• Empathy
• Resilience
• Perseverance
• Optimism

Questions to Ask your Listener: 

• How many brothers and sisters did Kitten have?  
• What caused Kitten to become separated from her family?  
• Have you ever been lost? 
• Did Kitten have a human family before the Daniels?  
• What new animal did Kitten meet? 
• Why was Feral concerned about Blue?  

Transcript

EPISODE 5: Kitten’s Tale

FERAL:

This has been bugging me for some time.  Ages ago you mentioned that you had been lost in a swamp before you were taken to the pound.  However, I never heard what happened.  How did you get lost in a swamp? 

KITTEN:

Oh well, Feral,  its quite a dramatic tale...

BRIGITTA:

You know how we love drama.  

HAZEL:

I can’t really say I love drama Brigitta. 

BRIGITTA:

Come on Kitten, we’d love to hear it.  I’m sure even Hazel is curious. 

HAZEL:

A-actually.... Well.. yes I am. 

CLUCKY:

But not if it is too hard for you.  I have heard it can be difficult for people to talk about bad experiences.  You know I don’t have that problem, I talk about everything but maybe you have never told us because it brings up too many bad feelings.  

BELLA:

Oh is that why you have never talked about it Kitten?  We don’t want to cause you pain. 

FERAL:

Oui, ma chère, Bella is right, forget I asked.  I do not want to make you relive something that may traumatize you.  

BRIGITTA:

Dramatize?  We already told her we love drama.  

KITTEN:

He said traumatize not dramatize.  Traumatize means to give one a lasting shock as a result of an emotionally disturbing experience or physical injury.  

CLUCKY:

Emotionally Disturbing? 

KITTEN:

Full of lots of big feelings that can be hard to deal with.

CLUCKY:

It’s important to feel all the feelings so we can let them go.  

KITTEN:

You are right Clucky, it’s probably time for me to face these feelings. 

BELLA:

Before you do, can you tell me what dramatize means? 

BRIDGET:

Dramatize means to overdo the importance or seriousness of something, You know Bella, like when Brigitta told Humphrey the Hummingbird about her experience when her eye got scratched.   

BRIGITTA:

That was a very traumatic event for me.  

CLUCKY:

Good job using that new word Brigitta!  So Kitten, are you going to tell us what happened or should we just let this story be a mystery.  

KITTEN:

You are all very thoughtful and I appreciate your concern for me.  I think I am ready to share my tale, however, at times, I may burst into song.  

CLUCKY:

Oh, I do love a good song. 

KITTEN:

It may not be a good song... but I find that singing about things helps me work through all the feelings.  

BRIGITTA:

Oh a dramatic musical!  My favorite kind of story!  

KITTEN:

One of my favorite quotes from the author Hans Christian Anderson is “When words fail, music speaks.”  It reminds me that we don’t always have to have the right words but can express our feelings.  

MUSIC STARTS (ALIVE IN THE SHADOWS) 

It was a dark and stormy night.  The wind was blowing and the water was flowing and mama said it was time to go.  

HAZEL:

Oh oh,  I’m worried already.  

BELLA:

Don’t worry too much yet Hazel, we know she eventually ends up safe with us. 

KITTEN:

You see we lived in a cardboard box under a storm drain.  My Mom was fierce and wild,

she had us all in a pile.  

BRIDGET:

How many siblings do you have? 

KITTEN:

Four, two brothers and two sisters.  We were all huddled together in a pile when the waters started to rise.  It had been raining hard for hours and our box was starting to rock.  

SINGING

The box it started to rock.  Rock, Rock  it started to rock.  

SING TALKING

She picked up my sister first by the scruff as the waters got rough.  One by one she pulled them out and up to a limb of a tree until there was just me.  Mama set my brother on the limb and turned just in time to see the box twist and start to float away with me in it.  

SINGING

The rain was lashing as the lightning was flashing.  All I felt was crashing.  No longer could I hear the meows of Mama, Gone Gone was I.  Washed away in the rain.  

MUSIC END 

PAUSE

FERAL:

Mon dieu!  This is horrible! 

HAZEL:

You must have been so frightened.  

KITTEN:

I was!  

BRIGITTA:

Not to mention cold and wet, floating down a sudden river in just a box.  

KITTEN:

I was shaking so much but not from the cold.  It was in Florida after all and the temperatures were warm but every inch of me was soaked and the wind was blowing which made me feel cold.  

CLUCKY:

Oh that must have really bothered you, you really don’t like water. 

BRIDGET:

Clucky, she just lost her family and was floating into the unknown in the middle of a storm. I’m guessing it was more than just being wet that bothered her.  

CLUCKY:

You’re right!  What happened next Kitten?  Did the rain stop?

KITTEN:

No, not for a long time. 

MELANCHOLY MUSIC STARTS (EXORCISM) 

My heart was pounding.... 

POUNDING MUSIC

Twisting turning, twisting turning, twisting turning, spinning round and round. So long I thought I’d drown.  (X2). Twisting Turning Twisting Turning 

HAZEL:

Maybe we should stop now?  

BRIGITTA:

No, I must know what happens.  

KITTEN:

Twisting turning twisting turning:  Crash

MUSIC STOPS

COLLECTIVE GASP

CLUCKY:

I’m afraid to ask.  What happened next?

KITTEN:

I don’t really remember.  It was dark and raining and I lay there shivering waiting for the rain to stop.  Hoping my Mama would come find me.  I must have fallen asleep because the next thing I remember was the sun in my eyes and the sound of insects humming and birds chirping all around.  I peeked my head up out of the box.  My whole body ached.  

FERAL:

That must have been from all the shivering.  Your body was fatigue. What is the English word… ah yes it is fatigued. 

CLUCKY:

Relieved?  Why would she be achy if she was relieved?  

BRIDGET:

Fatigued Clucky, it means to be weakened or extremely tired. 

FERAL:

It really is amazement how many words you use in English that are from French!

CLUCKY:

I never realized that. Ok, but Kitten being fatigued makes sense. 

BELLA:

What did you see when you looked out of the box?  

KITTEN:

A vast swamp.  It stretched out as far as I could see.  Little patches of land and trees and brush dotted with marshlands.  There was no sign of civilization. 

HAZEL:

Oh a Palus.

CLUCKY:

It doesn’t sound like a palace to me.  

HAZEL:

Sorry Clucky, Palus is latin for swamp or marshland.  

BRIGITTA:

If you were in a swamp?  What did you crash into?  

KITTEN:

It was a silver palm tree.  

HAZEL:

Oh a Coccothrinax argentata, I’ve always wanted to see one of those.  Is it true that the palm fronds are green on one side and silver on the other?

KITTEN:

Yes it is and when the wind blows you can see the silver flashing in the breeze.  It is quite mesmerizing.  

CLUCKY:

Why are we memorizing a palm tree leaf?  I want to know what happened in the swamp. 

HAZEL:

Oh Clucky, I do love how you hear the world.  

GIGGLES

Kitten described the palm leaf as mesmerizing, meaning it captured her complete attention as if by magic. Not memorizing which is to commit to memory or learn by heart.

Kitten said mesmerizing meaning to capture one’s complete attention as if by magic. Not memorizing which is to commit to memory or learn by heart.  

FERAL:

As fascinating as your magic silver palm tree is, I would like to know what transpirer - no, transpired. Funny note, transpirer means to sweat but also what happens next and perhaps you were sweating in this case but let’s move on, what happened?  

KITTEN:

I was lost and alone, I started to cry. I meowed for my mom.  

MUSIC STARTS (BITTERSWEET LAMENT) 

Meow!  What to do? What to do?  What to do? 

Mama, where are you? Where are you?  Where are you?  

SOBBING (MUSIC STILL PLAYING) 

Meow, What to do? What...

BLUE:

Who are you? Who are you? 

RECORD SCRATCH/MUSIC STOPS

KITTEN:

SCREAMS

Meow!  Please don’t hurt me!  

BLUE:

Hurt you? Why do you think I’d be spreading bad vibes like that brah?

Hurt you?  Why do you think I would hurt you?  

 KITTEN:

I don’t know, I’ve never seen an animal like you.  My mama warned us that other creatures were dangerous.  We should always be wary of strangers.  

BLUE:

Your mama sounds like a choice cat. You are a cat right dude? 

KITTEN:

Yes, I am.  What are you?  

BLUE:

I’m a righteous river otter….

SFX CHANGE TO MOUNTAIN BIRDS

HAZEL:

Oh a Lontra canadensis. I've always wanted to meet one of those.

BELLA:

I've never heard of a river otter or a lontra canadensis.  Was it friendly? 

BRIDGET:

I'm sure if we let kitten finish her story, we will find out

KITTEN:

Oh umm.  Yes.  He said... 

SFX CHANGE TO FL INSECTS & BIRDS

BLUE:

I’m a gnarly river otter. The name's Blue, brah. I’m named me after the Blue Spring where I first popped out. It's just a quick paddle up the river from where we are now. Do you like catch waves? And what's your handle, dude?

KITTEN:

I don’t have a handle just paws and no I don’t catch waves. Do you mean swim?

BLUE:

If you don't swim, how did you get in the middle of this swamp?

KITTEN:

 I floated here in this box. The water came up so fast my mama moved my brothers & sisters from the box to a tree but when she turned back to get me the box got swept away and... 

STARTS TO CRY

 and. and I don't know where they are ... I... I...

STARTS TO HYPERVENTILATE

BLUE:

Whoa dude. Calm down. All good brah. You’ll be fine.

KITTEN:

How .... do ... you... know?

BLUE:

Well, um I don’t...but...

KITTEN:

But? 

BLUE:

Well My Mom always liked this song:  

CLUCKY:

Oh he sings!  

BRIDGET:

Yes, now let Kitten continue! 

BLUE:

CLEARS THROAT, SINGS ACAPELLA

Grey skies are going to clear up! 

Put on a happy face.  

Brush off the clouds and cheer up. 

Put on a happy face.  

And spread sunshine all over the place, just put on a happy face.  

KITTEN:

Sometimes it’s not easy to put on a happy face.  

BLUE:

You’re right little dude. Sometimes you just gotta jam to make yourself feel all stoked again man!

KITTEN:

I agree.  But Blue, what am I going to do?  I’m lost and helpless. 

BLUE:

You just had a little wipeout dude. Brush it off and get back on that surfboard. You survived an epic storm and the awesome ride down the river. 

KITTEN:

I guess but I don't have any way to get back. I can't even swim.

BLUE:

No problemo dude! I shred the waves! 

KITTEN:

How does that help me?

BLUE:

I can totally paddle you and your little rig up the river. Do you know where your pad was little dude?

KITTEN:

Um... we lived in a storm drain. It was on the edge of a neighborhood. I could see a tan and a white house from my box.

BLUE:

Brah, that’s a bit of a weak wave dude…. 

KITTEN:

So, it’s hopeless?

BLUE:

No worries brah. We can totally handle this cause the river flows in one direction downstream

KITTEN:

Downstream? 

BLUE:

It’s the way the water goes dude! It’s the natural flow of a river. We just gotta start paddling upstream to find your crew!

KITTEN:

So upstream is the direction the water does not flow?

BLUE:

You catch on quick!

KITTEN:

Thank you

BLUE:

So should we start paddling you back upstream brah?

So should we get you headed back upstream?  

GURGLE NOISE

Whoa! What was that brah?

What was that? 

KITTEN:

Meow!  Excuse me.  I think that was my tummy.  I’m very hungry.  

BLUE:

Dude! We need to get you some fuel before we paddle up then!

KITTEN:

Is there a place we can get food?  I don’t see any trash cans or anything like that around here.  

BLUE:

Not trash dude! That’s rank brah! River is stacked with fish! All kinds of fish. You like fish don’t cha dude? We have Blue Gill….

HAZEL:

Lepomis macrochirus

BLUE:

Warmouth 

HAZEL:

Lepomis gulosus

BLUE:

Marsh Killifish

HAZEL:

Fundulus confluentas

BRIDGET:

Hazel as much as I appreciate you telling us the latin names for animals, could you stop for now?  It’s distracting me from the story. 

HAZEL:

Oh.. of... of course. Sorry Bridget.  

BLUE:

And ruddy bowfin

HAZEL:

Amia calva Oh sorry!  

BLUE:

What’s your craving brah?

KITTEN:

I don’t know what any of the words you just said were... are they things to eat?  

BLUE:

Fer sure little dude! It’s like a gnarly fish buffet!

KITTEN:

Fish...humm... I don’t think I’ve ever eaten a fish? 

BLUE:

Really? Wow dude! We scarf fish down all the time. The water is stuffed with ‘em!

KITTEN:

Do I have to go in the water to get them?  Remember I don’t swim.  

BLUE:

No worries dude! I’ll herd some fish over to the edge of this dry patch of land. Bail out of your box and slide some fins into  your belly. 

KITTEN:

Bail?

BLUE:

Get outta the box dude. 

KITTEN:

Ok. I can do that.  

SCRABBLING NOISE

Oh the ground here is so wet and squishy.  I don’t like that.  

BLUE:

Just hang tight there. I’ll chase some fins in your direction. You grab ‘em with your paws but you’ll get a bit wet brah.

KITTEN:

I can handle that. It’s better than all of me being soaked.  

BLUE:

Excellent. I’ll be back in a flash man.

SPLASHING

KITTEN:

Wow he swims fast.  Oh What is that?  There is something splashing the water in front of him.  

GASPS

Those are tiny little fish.  Oh if I get close to the waters edge. I think I can paw it out.  

SPLASHING

Oh I missed. I’ll try again.  

SPLASHING

Uggh

STOMACH GRUMBLING

I know. I’m hungry too stomach, I’m trying to get you some food! Alright. Deep Breath.  Let’s try again. 

DEEP BREATH

SPLASHING

Oh Oh I got one! Stop wiggling!  Ha! I’ve trapped you with my paws.  Now what?  It’s very slippery.  Hmmm.  

SNIFFS

Oh it smells good.  I guess dinner is served.  

CHOMP CHOMP

Oh it was delicious!  But it is already gone.  Oh he’s got more swimming this way.  Maybe I can get a couple this time!  

SPLASHING

Oh I’m getting the hang of this now.  I’ve got 2... now 3.  Wow he’s right! This water is full of so much fish!  

BLUE:

See man? Plenty of chow in the river!

KITTEN:

Oh my! I’ve never tasted something so delicious before.  What were these little fish called?  

BLUE:

Totally killer! That’s one of my choice favorites! Marsh killifish

KITTEN:

Thank you for making them swim this way!  I ate so many!  You are a genius! 

FERAL:

CLEARS THROAT

So do you see this genius otter hero often?  

KITTEN:

What? Feral, I have not seen him since I was taken to the pound. I mean animal shelter.  

BELLA:

What is the difference? 

KITTEN:

I recently learned the pound is a bit of an outdated term for animal shelter. They are basically the same.  

FERAL:

So you are saying you have not seen him in a while.  

KITTEN:

No Feral, I have not seen him in years.  In case you forgot, we live in Washington now.  I don’t know how I would ever find him again. 

FERAL:

I was also not in Washington for sometime and yet my heart pulled me closer to find you. Perhaps Blue may also show up one day? Would you like to find him.  Do you love him?  Just let me know and I will stand aside.  

KITTEN:

LAUGHING

What are you talking about Feral?  I am telling you a story about how I made friends with an Otter named Blue and he helped me catch fish.  He saved my life.  I am very grateful to him but I doubt I will ever see him again.  

CLUCKY:

Feral, are you jealous of this Blue guy?  

FERAL:

Me? No, of course not.  It is not every day that Kitten calls another creature a genius.  I just wanted to know where her affections lay.  

KITTEN:

My affections lay with Maddox and my family who saved me from the swamp and the shelter.  All my friends that I have gotten to know since then.  

FERAL:

I am a friend.

KITTEN:

Yes you are and so are Clucky, The Hens and Hazel.  

BRIDGET:

Can we get back to the story now?  I want to know what happened after you caught the fish.  

KITTEN:

Yes of course.  After I had a full belly of fish.  Blue asked. 

BLUE:

Did you score enough chow dude? Should we start paddling upstream to find your crew now?

KITTEN:

Yes, I am!  I don’t think I’ve ever eaten so much!  

BLUE:

Sweet! Since you don’t swim, how about you climb back into your box and I’ll try and paddle it upstream?

KITTEN:

Alright.  

SCRABBLING NOISE

Ready! 

BLUE:

Cool dude. Ready to catch the wave? 

SLIDING NOISE AND A BIT OF SPLASHING.  

Gnarly, it seems like it’s working.  

KITTEN:

Wow, you are really able to push this fast!  I should be home in no time.  Oh... Oh No! 

BLUE:

What? What’s wrong dude?

KITTEN:

There is water coming in the bottom of the box.  Oh it’s getting wet in here.  It looks like there is a hole... 

SPLASHING

 End Credits