Lady's New World

                                                                    Lady's New World



                                                                            By



                                                                      Jerry Steele







"Do you think Lady's ready?" she asked.



"Ready as she'll ever be," he said. Husband and wife stood outside the back door.



Lady sat by her master's side, waiting.



"Oh, I'm ready all right. Come on! I'm two and half years old. Just let me go!"



"Lady can't go anywhere," the husband said to his nervous wife. "The yard is fenced in. She'll be fine."



He knelt down, taking off her leash. "Be good."



"Yeah! It's about time," Lady said, leaping down the steps. Ahead was the tall green grass of freedom.

Her paws sank into the soft ground. Her shiny metal dog tags jingled loosely around her collar.

Lady's Beagle nose picked up sweet scents everywhere. Above, the sky was an ocean blue. A slight breeze blew through the grass. Her tail wagged with delight.

She followed the brown wooden rail fence around the yard. This was where her master had walked her as a puppy. Just then her floppy ears began picking up a strange sound.



It went "Chirp! Chirp! Chirp!"



"Hey kid, where do you think you're going?" Lady stopped.



"I'm up here."



Looking up, Lady saw a bird. It sat on the fencepost. The bird looked down chirping,



                                                          "I'm Rocky Robin,

                                                            I'm here every spring,

                                                            Once I catch my worms,

                                                            I sit here and sing."



"My name is Lady," she said, "and I live here."



"Okay," said Rocky the Robin. "Pleased to meet you. Here's some advice. Watch  out for 'Tomcat Teddy'. He likes to give the new critters like you trouble. I'll see you around." Spreading out his wings, Rocky flew away.



Lady made her way to the picnic table when something dark green landed in front of her. It had a narrow head.

It also had huge eyes that blinked back at her. They stared at each other until the green thing said croaking,



                                                          "I hear your name is Lady,

                                                            Nice to see you here,

                                                            I'm George the Grasshopper,

                                                            And I'm no one to fear."



"What do you do here?" Lady said.

"I hop around, keeping an eye on things," said George the Grasshopper. "I eat bugs and leaves, if it's left up to me."



"Take care, Lady," he said. George then hopped off, jumping into a deep sea of evergreen trees.

Lady didn't go far before she heard it. It was a small sound from the ground.



"Watch your step."

Lady looked down. A small mound of dirt was next to her paw. She looked closer. Tiny, fire-red creatures were scrambling out of her way.



"I'm sorry," said Lady. "I didn't know anyone lived down there." The ant straightened his bent antennas. Standing up on his back legs, with paws on hips, he shouted angrily,



                                                              "I'm Alan the Ant,

                                                              It's plain to see,

                                                              We can be friends,

                                                              If you just let us be!"



"Okay," Lady said. "I promise to remember."



Alan returned to the anthill, slamming the front door behind him.



Ahead, the blades of grass were rustling. There was no sound. What was it? Then, it was upon  her, with great big eyes. It had a bright red tongue that went in and out. It grew close to Lady, hissing



                                                                "Seymour the Snake,

                                                                  Is what I'm called,

                                                                  I'm close to the ground,

                                                                  And always around."



"I'm Lady," she said. "I'm new here, as you can see."



"Hmm...you're too big to eat," Seymour sighed. "I guess you and I will be fine." Seymour then slithered away.



Now at the woodpile, Lady stopped and listened. Something small and tiny was down there. She poked at it with her paw. Out it came, turning, twisting, then tumbling out.



"Who are you, little one?" asked Lady.



It raised its hairless head and said,



                                                                "I'm Wendell the Worm,

                                                                And I live in the shade,

                                                                Finding food at night,

                                                                Is my favorite delight."



"I'm Lady. I'm happy to meet you."

"You seem nice," Wendell said. "I'd like to talk, but I have to go. Too much sun hurts my eyes," he said, wiggling away.



By now, Lady had walked half of the yard. She didn't know it was so big! She lifted her head at the big tree. It was so tall, Lady couldn't see the top. Then Lady felt something on her front paw. A grey, furry-tailed animal was tapping its' foot on hers. Before she could speak, it began screeching,



                                                                "I'm Sidney the Squirrel,

                                                                This is my tree, you see,

                                                                Gathering walnuts,

                                                                Makes me happy and free."



See you around," said Sidney, with an armful of nuts. "I'll lay low until the next wind blows."



At the garden, the wind returned. Lady lifted her head. She closed her eyes. The breeze raised her floppy ears. On opening them, an animal Lady's size stood before her. It had big ears and a black nose. Sniffing back at her, it said slowly,



                                                                "I'm Curious Rabbit,

                                                                  So I know who you are,

                                                                  I eat carrots and lettuce,

                                                                  But I'm not a menace."



Lady felt something. It laid deep inside her. It was something about this animal. Then, it came to her. She was born to chase rabbits, but not this one. This one would be her friend, like all of the others.



"It's okay," said Lady, "and if I may, we can talk again another day."



Now, she was getting tired. Up ahead, the end of the yard was growing closer. Her first walk alone was almost over.



A small thing with wings came whizzing by. It dipped its' bright yellow wings, saying "hello", gently settling on Lady's head, whispering,



                                                                "I'm Brenda the Butterfly,

                                                                I'll never hurt you,

                                                                I visit flowers and plants,

                                                                And I'm always true blue."



Then, as quickly as Brenda the Butterfly came, she flew away.



Out of nowhere, a large animal leaped down. It had big ears, with fierce, flashing eyes and sharp teeth. Its' paws had claws that suddenly swung out wildly at Lady, just missing her. It said, growling,



                                                                "I'm Tomcat Teddy,

                                                                And this is my yard,

                                                                Get out of here now,

                                                                Or I'll pounce on you hard!"



Trembling, Lady didn't know what to do. Half of her wanted to fight, and half of her wanted to run. Her master was in the house. She was all alone.



Then, Rocky the Robin came swooping down. Rocky began pecking on Tomcat Teddy's back. Brenda the Butterfly fluttered her wings on his nose, blinding him.



Alan the Ant danced on the cat's front paw. Seymour the Snake squimed in front of Lady, sticking out his awful tongue. Wendell the Worm rolled across the tomcat's back paw.



Sidney the Squirrel dropped large walnuts on Tomcat Teddy's head from a branch above. Curious Rabbit clawed at his side.



Surrounded, Tomcat Teddy ran for the fence. Huffing and puffing, he squeezed through the bottom rail, barely escaping while all the animals cheered.



"Thank you," shouted Lady. "Thank you all!"



Lady's new world was going to be a safe and happy one. Best of all, she would never be alone again.



                                                                THE END