Hello, everyone! I’m so happy you’re here with us today. Are you ready for a fun story? Today, we’re going to read a book called “Friend or Foe” by John Sobo and Dasha Tostikova. Let’s dive into the story!
Once upon a time, there was a little mouse who lived all alone in a tiny house next to a big, beautiful palace. Inside the palace lived a cat. Every night, the mouse would sneak up to the roof, and the cat would climb to the highest window in the palace tower. They would look at each other from afar, wondering about each other.
The palace was very special because it only had one door, and it was always watched carefully. No one could go in or out without the queen’s permission, not even the cat! One day, the mouse found a tiny hole in the palace wall. He thought about the cat and wondered if they could be friends. He was so curious!
The mouse decided to be brave. He squeezed through the tiny hole and entered the palace. It was dark and cold inside. As he hid in the shadows, he saw people with shiny shoes walking by, laughing and having fun. They didn’t notice the little mouse at all!
The mouse started to climb the stairs to the tower. He was a bit scared. What if the cat wasn’t friendly? But he had to find out. It took him all day to reach the top. When he got there, he saw the cat sitting on the windowsill, looking for him.
The mouse gathered all his courage and squeaked, “Hello! Are you friend or foe?” The cat was so surprised that she jumped high in the air! The mouse thought he might be in trouble, but then he hoped they could be friends.
As the cat turned to look at the mouse, she slipped and fell from the windowsill. But don’t worry! Cats are great at landing safely. She landed outside the palace wall, right in front of a kind woman.
The woman picked up the cat and said, “We’ve been wanting a cat, and here you are, just like magic!” She gave the cat some milk and invited her to stay. The cat now lived in a small house next to the palace, and the mouse lived in the palace.
Every evening, the mouse would climb to the tower, and the cat would go to the roof. They would look at each other, still wondering, “Friend or foe?” And every night, the mouse would sigh, “I don’t know.”
And that’s the end of our story, “Friend or Foe.” Have you ever wondered if someone is a friend or not? It’s one of life’s little mysteries!
Thank you for joining us for storytime! We hope you come back for more stories. See you soon! Bye!
Draw Your Own Story: Imagine you are the mouse or the cat in the story. Draw a picture of what you think happens next. Do they become friends? Do they have an adventure together? Use your imagination and share your story with the class.
Friend or Foe Game: With a partner, play a game where one of you is the mouse and the other is the cat. Pretend to meet each other for the first time. Ask each other questions to find out if you can be friends. What would you say to make a new friend?
Observation Walk: Take a walk around your school or neighborhood. Look for animals or people who might be friends or foes. How can you tell if they are friends? What do they do that shows friendship? Share your observations with the class.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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Good day, everyone! Welcome back to the Storytime Family. How are you today? Are you having a good day? Well, I’m so glad you can sit down and join us for a book. Today we have “Friend or Foe” by John Sobo and Dasha Tostikova. Let’s have a look, shall we?
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“Friend or Foe”
This is how it was: a lonely mouse lived in a small house beside a great palace. In the great palace lived a cat. Every evening, the mouse crept along the rafters and out onto the roof. Every evening, the cat climbed the stairs to the palace tower and sat in the highest window. Every night, as darkness settled, the cat peered down at the mouse, and the mouse stared up at the cat.
This is how it was: the palace had only one entrance, and it was carefully guarded. Nobody entered and nobody left without the queen’s permission—not even the cat.
One day, the mouse noticed a tiny hole in the palace wall. He stared at the hole for a whole day, wondering if, after all those hours of looking at each other, he and the cat were friends. The more he thought about it, the more curious he became. Was the cat his friend? He wanted a friend. Finally, he made up his mind. Slipping quietly out of his house, he squeezed through the tiny hole and into the palace.
Inside, it was dark, and the stone floor was cold. The mouse heard voices approaching and shrank into the shadows. People went past wearing glittering shoes, laughing and joking, and didn’t see the little mouse at their feet. As the mouse climbed the stairs to the palace tower, he began to grow afraid. What if he was wrong? What if the cat would tear him to pieces? Still, he kept climbing. Was the cat friend or foe? He had to know.
It took all day to climb the stairs, but finally, as the sun was setting, the mouse reached the top step. He peered around the great oak door, and there was the cat sitting on the windowsill, staring at the empty rooftop below. Carefully, the mouse crept closer. Silently, he climbed the thick velvet curtain by the window. Finally, he sat on the stone windowsill next to the cat. The cat was still staring with wide eyes at the house far below, searching for the mouse. She had no idea that he was so near.
At last, gathering all his courage, the mouse squeaked, “Hello! Are you friend or foe?” The cat whirled around. She spied the mouse and leapt high in the air. She had never been so surprised in all her life. The mouse studied the cat’s whiskered face as she flew through the air. At first, he felt sure he was about to be eaten, but then he changed his mind. Perhaps they were to be friends after all.
“Friend or foe,” thought the mouse. “In a moment, I’ll know.” But as the cat spun to face the mouse, she slipped. The mouse reached out his paw, but it was too late. The cat fell from the windowsill. With wide eyes, the mouse watched the cat fall. The cat fell with a long howl from the high palace tower, but being a cat, she landed safely outside the palace wall.
A moment later, a woman came out of the small house and scooped up the cat. “Why, we’ve been wanting a cat, and here you are, dropping right out of the sky, didn’t you, puss? Just like magic!” The woman gave the cat a saucer of milk. “Stay as long as you like, so long as you get rid of that mouse that creeps along the rafters every night.”
The cat lives in a small house beside a great palace. In the great palace lives a mouse. Every evening, the mouse creeps up the stairs to the palace tower. Every evening, the cat climbs to the roof of the house. The mouse looks down at the cat, and the cat stares up at the mouse. Every evening, the mouse wonders, “Friend or foe?” And every evening, he sighs, “I don’t know.”
And that was the end of “Friend or Foe.” Have you ever been in the dilemma, wondering if someone is a friend or foe? Well, it’s one of the mysteries of life, isn’t it?
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