own, Spot

ome time ago Baron Von Lodge was the head of a small country near Switzerland known as Lilliland.

The Baron’s fiancée, Lady Angela of Alpine Castle, was telling a story to the Baron about a friend who was walking in the park one sunny day. He saw two young children playing by themselves, throwing a small black and white doll back and forth like a ball. He noticed that the small object being playfully thrown was making a strange squealing noise. When the man got closer, he saw that it was not a small ball being thrown, but a tiny kitten.

The man rushed over to the children and asked them why they were throwing the kitten back and forth. They just said that they found the kitten wandering in the park and thought that no one wanted or cared what happened to the kitten. So they were just having fun. They gave the kitten to the man and ran away saying that the kitten was now his to play with if he wanted. The man gathered the frightened kitten in his hands and cuddled it tenderly. The man looked for the kitten’s mother but could not find her, so he took the kitten home for much needed food and rest and a loving environment.

He told the animal shelter people about the incident and asked if the proper owner could be found. They said that no one reported a black and white kitten missing. So he decided to adopt this precious little life.

Many months went by and the man’s visitors always commented about how the cat, now named Spot, was always jumping up on him. The man’s guests thought that some pet discipline might be in order. But the man, remembering the kitten’s early days of being treated badly, said someday he would get around to doing something about disciplining the kitten not to jump.

Then one late evening, when the man was alone in his small home, some sparks from the fireplace leaped onto a rug and the house began to catch fire. The man was fast asleep on the sofa by the fireplace. Spot was there and saw what was happening. Spot jumped up on the man and began trying to wake him up. The man woke up just in time to put out the fire and prevent his house from burning down.

He looked at Spot and gave him a big loving hug or profound gratitude. Thank goodness Spot jumped up on him to save him from danger.

The Baron liked the story, which was true, and very wonderful.