Kitty's Blessing(Elaine Faber) Once, in a faraway land, on a brisk winter afternoon, Kitty strode across a hillside, contented and happy as only a cat can be, burping the mouse she ate for breakfast. She curled up on a warm rock to nap. Puffy clouds floated overhead. Shepherds on the hillside watched their sheep.

A bird landed in a bush nearby and began to whistle a tune, too engrossed in her song to notice Kitty sleeping nearby. Kitty’s eye peeked open. The tip of her tail drifted from side to side. She slipped off the rock and crept toward her unsuspecting victim. The distance narrowed as Kitty’s whiskers snapped to attention, every hair on her head standing upright, a silent warrior armed with experience, girded with strength, clad with skill.

Distance calculated, 10 feet. 6 ¼ inches, wind velocity 21 ½ mph from the south-southeast, thrust computed, X minus pi to the seventh power squared, muscles poised. She leapt. The jaws of death hurtled toward the beautiful white bird. She fluttered off the bush, but Kitty seized her wing and pulled her to the ground. (Kitties do that, you know. Can’t blame em’ for what comes natural).

The white bird shrieked, “Stop! Wait! Don’t eat me. I have some very important information. You won’t want to miss it.”

Her bravery impressed Kitty. She loosed her hold somewhat and through her teeth, said, “Go ahead. What’s so important, it will change my mind?”

“If you set me free, I promise, ere the night is over, you will receive a great blessing that will honor you and all your descendants.”

Kitty tapped a claw on the ground, tipped her head to the side, thinking, still keeping a tight grip on the bird’s wing. If it were true, a blessing would be a fine legacy to leave her descendents. More likely, it was just an excuse not to be eaten.

Intrigued by the bird’s promise, and not terribly hungry, still burping the mouse, she struck the bargain with the white bird and released the bird’s wing. The bird flew into the afternoon sky. “Remember, tonight, ere the night is over.” She disappeared behind the puffy white clouds.

Kitty returned to town, beginning to think about a place to sleep. She came upon an animal stable. The cows and donkey nodded in their straw beds, warming the stable with their breath. This would do nicely.

Kitty jumped into the box of straw near the cow and turned around three times for good luck. She curled herself into a ball and was instantly dreaming. In her dream, she saw the white bird flying through the night sky, and the shepherds herding their sheep down the hillside toward the town.

What’s this? A pair of warm hands lifted Kitty from the straw. She opened her eyes and peered into a man’s kind face. He set her gently on the ground. “Here, Kitty, do you mind giving up your warm bed? It will be just perfect for the newborn baby.”

The man laid the swaddled infant into the manger. His tiny body fit snugly into the warm crevice where Kitty had been sleeping.

Kitty lay down beneath the manger in the straw and curled her toes beneath her breast. The father prepared a soft bed of straw in the corner for his wife. He hovered nearby, brought her water and covered her with a blanket.

A sound at the door; and shepherds from the hillside came into the stable and knelt at the feet of the Babe.

In the later hours, the stable was visited by richly dressed men who knelt to worship the Baby and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Kitty smiled as she recognized the Child who was creating such excitement. He was the Promised One; the one who would save the world.

The donkey nickered in the corner. Two white birds flew through the stable door, circled the room and came to rest on the edge of the manger. Kitty recognized the bird she had freed that afternoon!
Wonder of wonders, a brilliant light shined above the Child and two angels appeared on each side of the manger where the birds had landed.

In time, the worshipers were gone, the stable grew quiet and everyone slept, while the angels kept watch over the Child.

“Angel, I know this is the Promised One.” Kitty jumped onto a bale of hay near the angel. “Everyone brought gifts, but I have no gift to give Him.”

“He wants no gift from you except the gift of your love and promise to serve Him, Kitty. Because of your kindness this day, you have received a great blessing. You were witness to the birth of the Christ Child and you had the privilege of warming His bed. That is His gift to you.”

Kitty curled her tail around her nose. She had received a blessing, and a memory she and her descendants would treasure for generations to come.
She slept and dreamed of cat-things, nighttime prowls, naps in the sunshine, chasing mice, stalking birds; perhaps in the future, she would forgo stalking birds. One never knew when the bird might be an angel in disguise; or when doing a good turn for another might become a blessing, but none as great as the privilege of warming the bed of the Christ Child.




About the Author: Many of my short stories have been published in Looking Back magazine. A new anthology, Not your Mother's Book on Being a Stupid Kid, now available on Amazon, includes one of my tales, and three anthologies scheduled to print in early 2013 will include my stories. I have written a series of "Black Cat" novels, designed to delight cat mystery readers. Check out my website at
www.mindcandymysteries.com, and sign up to receive monthly short stories as a member of my email fan club.
Elaine Faber

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