The Eagle and the Cat
A fable about an eagle and a cat I wrote back in high school.
Late one evening, as the cat was walking through the forest, she saw an eagle soar gracefully down and land nearby.
"I wish that I could fly like the eagle," sighed the cat.
"I can teach you how,"said the eagle, "but only if you teach me how to leap and climb like a cat."
"that's a very nice offer, but I just don't have wings to fly with," answered the cat. "And," she added after a moment's observation, "I think that you might have trouble jumping and climbing with legs like that."
"Oh, don't worry. If we just try hard enough, I'm sure we can do it," the eagle said wisely.
The cat doubted the truth of the eagle's statement, but didn't want to tell the eagle. "Perhaps we can," she said.
"Of course we can. I'm sure of it," said the eagle.
Suddenly, a huge earthquake shook the ground. The shaking was so strong, both animals fell to the ground, unable to stand. The earth groaned and began to crack open at the animals' feet. It widened and widened as the shaking grew more violent. Then the shaking stopped as suddenly as it started, and both animals were left facing each other on opposite sides of a huge chasm.
"What on earth are we going to do now?" asked the cat.
The eagle had an answer, "It's easy, you fly across to this side."
"But that's impossible!' shouted the cat, "I can't fly! You fly--or I could jump!"
"No," the eagle replied. "You have to fly. If you won't, I'll jump."
"No! Eagles can't jump that far!" shouted the cat but it was too late. The eagle had already jumped into the chasm.
"Help me!" the eagle screamed as he fell.
"You're a bird--use your wings!' the cat shouted back.
The eagle spread his wings and flew out of the chasm, landing gracefully next to the cat.
"You saved me with your great wisdom, cat. How did you know that this was impossible?" the eagle asked.
I just always remember that everyone has something that they just can't do," the cat replied.
Late one evening, as the cat was walking through the forest, she saw an eagle soar gracefully down and land nearby.
"I wish that I could fly like the eagle," sighed the cat.
"I can teach you how,"said the eagle, "but only if you teach me how to leap and climb like a cat."
"that's a very nice offer, but I just don't have wings to fly with," answered the cat. "And," she added after a moment's observation, "I think that you might have trouble jumping and climbing with legs like that."
"Oh, don't worry. If we just try hard enough, I'm sure we can do it," the eagle said wisely.
The cat doubted the truth of the eagle's statement, but didn't want to tell the eagle. "Perhaps we can," she said.
"Of course we can. I'm sure of it," said the eagle.
Suddenly, a huge earthquake shook the ground. The shaking was so strong, both animals fell to the ground, unable to stand. The earth groaned and began to crack open at the animals' feet. It widened and widened as the shaking grew more violent. Then the shaking stopped as suddenly as it started, and both animals were left facing each other on opposite sides of a huge chasm.
"What on earth are we going to do now?" asked the cat.
The eagle had an answer, "It's easy, you fly across to this side."
"But that's impossible!' shouted the cat, "I can't fly! You fly--or I could jump!"
"No," the eagle replied. "You have to fly. If you won't, I'll jump."
"No! Eagles can't jump that far!" shouted the cat but it was too late. The eagle had already jumped into the chasm.
"Help me!" the eagle screamed as he fell.
"You're a bird--use your wings!' the cat shouted back.
The eagle spread his wings and flew out of the chasm, landing gracefully next to the cat.
"You saved me with your great wisdom, cat. How did you know that this was impossible?" the eagle asked.
I just always remember that everyone has something that they just can't do," the cat replied.