How the Manx Cat Lost its Tail

Source: Stevens, Janet. How the Manx Cat Lost its Tail. San Diego: Harcourt Brace, 1990.

Summary: When Noah was loading the ark, he noticed the Manx cat was missing. He and his sons tried calling loudly for the cat, but it didn't come. Finally, Noah's wife called softly for the cat, and it came, but because it was late, the door shut on its tail, cutting it off. From then on, the Manx cat had no tail.

Cultural origins: British/European. Although the origin is never stated clearly, the Isle of Man is located in the Irish Sea.

Audience: Preschool-1st grade. This story is basic enough for very young listeners to understand. Although it may help if they are familiar with the story of Noah's Ark, it should not be necessary.

Adaptation notes: I would have the children help me "call" the cat, both loudly and softly. I would also ask the children for examples of the animals in each category (birds, forest animals, pets, etc) as they are described in the story.