December 2nd… Cat in the Manger by Michael Foreman

Hello booklovers,

Behind Advent door number two you will find a family literary favourite – Cat in the Manger by Michael Foreman. This sweet story involves a rather grumpy mog who frequents a manger in a stable. From the offset it is clear that this particular feline is not keen on anything disrupting his cosy set- up, especially not goats, donkeys or crying babies. And yet he finds the peace and quiet of his snug little sanctuary interrupted by the arrival of, you’ve guessed it, a donkey. To add insult to injury, the donkey arrives complete with a heavily pregnant lady and her husband. Needless to say, the cat in the manger is less than impressed and his outrage continues as mayhem occurs and he is tipped out of the manger, all in order to make way for a crying baby.

Then, suddenly, the mayhem stops…

‘Everything was silent. It was as if all the animals held their breath. It was as if the whole world held its breath, and we all looked at the baby, and the baby looked at us.’

Despite a moment of serenity the cat’s peace and quiet continues to be disrupted. In come the shepherds and their sheep, the wise men and their camels and even a troop of mice scuttle into the warm of the stable to witness this wonderful moment. So entranced by the scene before him, our feline friend decides to let them off, just this once…

Gradually the shepherds and the wise men depart and eventually the man and the woman and their baby follow suit, and normality is restored to the life of the cat in the manger. All except for one thing. He has suddenly developed an aversion to catching mice…