[The words would be encouragement enough, and Ray smiles to see the other girl's reaction. She clears her throat, spreads her hands to set the scene, and obliges:]
There once was a poor family whose only possession of value was a lucky ring. They didn't know it was lucky, though, and sold it to keep food on the table just a little while longer. But once they did, their luck only got worse.
This family had a cat and a dog, who together hatched a plan to retrieve the ring. The dog carried the cat over the river to the house of the merchant who bought it, and the cat threatened a mouse into chewing a hole into the box that held the ring and took it.
The dog took the cat across the river again, but there they separated; the cat could walk quickly over the house roofs, and the dog was left on the ground. The cat was praised when she returned with the ring, and the dog received no credit at all. So now, whenever he sees the cat, the dog tries to catch her.
[Her smile turns a little apologetic.] It may not be the best story for a cat lover... I always felt bad for the dog.
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There once was a poor family whose only possession of value was a lucky ring. They didn't know it was lucky, though, and sold it to keep food on the table just a little while longer. But once they did, their luck only got worse.
This family had a cat and a dog, who together hatched a plan to retrieve the ring. The dog carried the cat over the river to the house of the merchant who bought it, and the cat threatened a mouse into chewing a hole into the box that held the ring and took it.
The dog took the cat across the river again, but there they separated; the cat could walk quickly over the house roofs, and the dog was left on the ground. The cat was praised when she returned with the ring, and the dog received no credit at all. So now, whenever he sees the cat, the dog tries to catch her.
[Her smile turns a little apologetic.] It may not be the best story for a cat lover... I always felt bad for the dog.