Mrs. Tabby Gray lived in a barn with her three kittens, one black, one white, and one gray. She told the kittens stories of the big house where she received food. One day, she found an empty trunk in the house and moved the black kitten there, but the trunk was soon locked with the kitten inside. Mrs. Tabby Gray cried for help from the home's lady until she unlocked the trunk and rescued the black kitten. After this, Mrs. Tabby Gray decided the barn was the best place to raise her kittens.

1. MRS. TABBY GRAY
By Maud Lindsay
Revised for Younger Readers

2. MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER
"Allm o the r lo ve attracts the child,
Its wo rld-wide te nde rne ss he fe e ls.
And e v'ry be ast that lo ve s he r yo ung ,
His m o the r's lo ve to him re ve als ."

3. Mrs. Tabby Gray lived out in the barn
stored with her three little kittens. One of the
kittens was white, one was black, and one
gray. The gray one was just like her mother.
Mrs. Tabby Gray got her name from the
color of her coat.

4. These three little kittens think that
there their dear mother was the nicest
thing in the world. But Mrs. Tabby Gray
would tell them of many other nice
things, like milk and bread. She told
them about the big house where she
had her breakfast, dinner, and supper.
Every time Mother Tabby came from
the big house, she had something
pleasant to tell. "Bones for dinner
today, my dears," she would say, or "I
had a rough play with a ball and the
baby." Soon, the kittens also wished
that they could go there too.

5. One day, Mother Cat walked
in with joyful news.
"I have found an elegant new
home for you," she said. “I saw
a very large trunk where some
old clothes are kept. We better
move at once.”
Then she picked up the small
black kitten. Without any more
words, she walked right out of
the barn with him.

6. The black kitten was surprised. He
blinked his eyes at the bright sunshine.
He tried to see everything.
Out in the barnyard, there was a
great noise. The white hen had laid an
egg. She wanted everybody to know
it. But Mother Cat hurried on. They
went to the big house.
Soon, she dropped the kitten into
the large trunk. It was full of clothes.
The clothes made such a soft,
comfortable bed. The kitten was so
tired after his exciting trip. He fell
asleep at once.

7. Then, Mrs. Tabby trotted off
for another baby.
While she was away, the lady
who owned the trunk came out
in the hall. She saw that the
trunk was open. She shut it. She
locked it. Then, she put the key
in her pocket. She did not know
that there was a precious kitten
inside.
As soon as the lady had gone
upstairs, Mrs. Tabby Gray came
back. She was with the little
white kitten.

8. Mrs. Tabby Gray found
the trunk closed. She got
terribly frightened. She put
the white kitten down and
sprang on top of the trunk.
She scratched and
scratched the trunk. But it
did no good.
Then she jumped down.
She reached up to the
keyhole. But the keyhole
was too small. The poor
mother mewed pitifully.

9. What was she to do? She
picked up the white kitten. She
ran to the barn with it. Then, she
went hurriedly back to the
house.
She went upstairs to the
lady’s room. The lady was
playing with her baby. Mother
Cat rubbed against her skirts.
She cried: "Mee-ow, mee-ow!
You have your baby. I want
mine too! Mee-ow, mee-ow!“

10. By and by the lady said: "Poor Kitty! She must be
hungry.”
She went down to the kitchen. She put some sweet milk
in a saucer. But the cat did not want milk. She wanted her
baby kitten out of the big black trunk.
She mewed as much as she could: "Give me my baby—
give me my baby, out of your big black trunk!“
The kind lady thought the cat is thirsty: "Poor Kitty, I will
give you water.”
When the lady gave her water, she mewed more
sorrowfully than before. She did not want water. She only
wanted her dear baby kitten. She cried and cried. She ran
to and fro. At last, the lady followed her. She led the way
to the trunk.

11. "What is the matter with this cat?"
said the lady. She took the trunk key
out of her pocket. She unlocked the
trunk. Then, she raised the top.
Mother Cat jumped in! The little
black kitten woke up. He was
surprised.
"Purr, purr, my darling child," said
Mrs. Tabby Gray. "I have had a
terrible fright!" Before the black kitten
could ask a question, she picked him
up. Then, she walked towards the
barn.

12. The sun was bright in the
barnyard. The hens were still
chattering there. The black
kitten was glad to get back
to the barn. His mother was
glad, too.
She nestled down in the
hay. Her three little kittens did
the same. Mother Cat told
her kittens: “The barn was the
best place to raise children.”
And she never afterwards
changed her mind.