Secondary Retelling3 min●●○○○'Abdu'l-Bahá's ministry (1892–1921)

The Lost Kitten

Baha'i Stories for Children · Read original

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When in Bahá'í history

1844'Abdu'l-Bahá (1892–1921)2026

Calla was a kitten that nobody wanted. She was a little grey and white kitten with blue eyes. She was not fat and frisky like most kittens because she had no home where there was milk in a saucer on the floor. She just wandered about trying to find something to eat but being such a baby kitten, she did not know exactly where to look for food. Usually the big cats found it first.

Calla followed many different people, mewing in her sad little voice as she ran after them. She seemed to be coaxing to· be taken home. But usually the people would hurry along paying no attention to the homeless kitten, scampering after them. Sometimes a person would stop and say, Scat!, which scared Calla and made her run away.

"Oh Jerry," said Mother, "put that dirty cat down."

"I want to take it home, "Jerry answered." She is a hungry kitten I know."

"But," replied Mother, "we do not have much food at our house."

"She can have some of my supper. Please, Mother," coaxed Jerry.

"Very well," she said, ''but you will have to take care of her yourself."

"Oh, I will, I will," Jerry answered happily.

And so he did and Calla grew into a fine big cat. Then one day something very special happened to her. She had three little kittens. Jerry took special care of Calla then and gave her extra milk to drink. He loved to play with the three kittens and he gave them each a name which were Teeny and Tiny because they looked so very much alike and Tippy because he had a white tip on his little grey tail.

Jerry's mother said they could not keep so many kittens because the extra milk for Calla and her kittens cost money and Jerry's mother did not have much money. Jerry felt sad about this because he did not want these little kittens to be hungry and go wandering about the streets all alone begging someone to take them home.

So Jerry went about looking for a good home for each of the kittens. First he found Mr. Taylor, the baker who took Teeny because he needed a cat to catch the mice around his store. Then he found Mrs. Jackson who lived next door. She took Tiny to give to her little grandson for a pet. Last of all Jerry found Miss Anderson. She was a teacher at the school and she lived all alone so she was very happy to have Tippy for her special kitten friend to keep her company at home.

So the three kittens all bad good homes and they were happy and Calla was happy but most of all Jerry was a happy boy.

Do you know why?

('Child’s Way' magazine, October 1953)

Source: Baha'i Stories for Children (https://bahaistoriesforchildren.blogspot.com/2016/01/the-lost-kitten.html).

Discuss this story

For adults

Where do you see justice appearing — visibly or quietly — in this passage?
How does this story complicate or deepen your understanding of children-stories?
Read the closing lines once more. What single phrase stays with you?

For teens

If you were in this person's place, what might you have done?
What does this story teach about justice?

For children

Who is the most important person in this story? Why?
Can you draw a picture of what happens in this story?

Reflection

What in this account feels timely? What feels timeless?
If you could bring one quality from this story into your next conversation, what would it be?
What single image from this story will stay with you?

Comprehension quiz

Which source is "The Lost Kitten" drawn from?
What period of Bahá'í history does this story belong to?
Which virtue does this story most clearly illustrate?

Cite this story

Various. *Baha'i Stories for Children*. https://bahaistoriesforchildren.blogspot.com/2016/01/the-lost-kitten.html

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This story shares quotes with 74 other stories

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Also in
- A pilgrim reports in 1920 how busy ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was replying to numerous letters from around the world— Various, Baha'i Stories Blog
- An example of how man is unable to prevent God from executing His will— Various, Baha'i Stories Blog
- An example of love and compassion shown by Munirih Khanum (‘Abdu’l-Baha’s wife)— Various, Baha'i Stories Blog
- Bahá’u’lláh’s departure for the Garden of Ridván— Various, Baha'i Stories Blog
- Baha’u’llah visits Mulla Husayn and his companions at Fort Tabarsi— Various, Baha'i Stories Blog
- …and 69 more

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The Lost Kitten

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