Once upon a time, in a faraway village, there lived two brothers named El Shender and Fergus. They had a big black cat that loved to stay with them. One day, Fergus decided to go hunting by himself. He promised El Shender that he would be back in time for supper.
As the evening came, El Shender started to worry because Fergus had not returned. He wondered if his brother was in trouble. Finally, Fergus came back home, looking very tired and wet. After they had supper, the brothers sat by the warm fire, and their black cat lay comfortably between them.
El Shender asked, “Why were you away for so long?” Fergus replied, “I had a very strange adventure today. I hardly know how to explain it.” Then, Fergus began to tell his amazing story.
While Fergus was on his way home, a thick fog covered the path. He decided to climb a tall tree to see if he could find his way. In the trunk of the tree, there was a big hollow space. Fergus heard some music and saw a light coming from inside. Curious, he looked in and was surprised by what he saw.
Inside the tree, it looked like a church. A funeral was happening, and there was a coffin surrounded by torches. But the most surprising thing was that all the torches were carried by cats! The coffin even had a crown on it.
Fergus couldn’t believe his eyes. Suddenly, their black cat jumped up and shouted, “My stars, old Peter’s dead, and now I’m the king of the cats!” With that, the cat dashed up the chimney and disappeared, never to be seen again.
And so, the brothers were left with an incredible story to tell, and they always remembered the day their cat became the king of the cats!
Draw Your Own Adventure: Imagine you are Fergus and you have just seen the secret church inside the tree. Draw a picture of what you think the inside of the tree looked like. Include the cats, the coffin, and any other details you remember from the story. Share your drawing with your classmates and explain why you included each part.
Create a Cat Crown: Fergus saw a crown on the coffin. Using materials like paper, glue, and markers, create your own crown for the “king of the cats.” Think about what decorations a cat king might like. Once your crown is ready, wear it and pretend to be the king of the cats. What would you do as a cat king?
Story Time with a Twist: Imagine you are El Shender, waiting for Fergus to return. Write a short story or draw a comic strip about what you think happened to Fergus before he came back home. How did he feel when he saw the cats? What do you think he did next? Share your story or comic with the class.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
—
[Music]
Once there were two brothers who lived in a distant village. El Shender was the elder and the younger was Fergus. They had a big black cat. One day, Fergus went out hunting alone. He told El Shender he’d be back for supper that evening. Evening came, but Fergus was still away.
[Music]
El Shender was worried that his brother had gotten into trouble. At last, Fergus returned, wet and exhausted. After supper, the brothers sat down by the fire, and their black cat lay between them.
“Why were you away for so long?” El Shender asked.
“I’ve had a very strange adventure today. I hardly know what to say about it,” Fergus replied, and then he told his incredible story.
[Music]
Fergus was going home when a thick fog came on the path. He climbed a tall tree to look around. In the trunk of the tree was a big hollow. He could hear some music and see some light coming out of it. Fergus looked inside and gasped; he seemed to be looking into a church.
[Music]
A funeral was taking place there. He saw a coffin surrounded by torches, all of them carried by cats. The coffin was marked with a crown. Fergus got no farther, for the black cat jumped to his feet, exclaiming, “My stars, old Peter’s dead, and now I’m the king of the cats!” Then he rushed up the chimney and was seen no more.
[Music]
—
Feel free to let me know if you need any further modifications!
