WEBVTT

1
00:00:00.280 --> 00:00:18.120
<v Speaker 1>Welcome back friends to short stories for kids.

2
00:00:19.719 --> 00:00:25.480
<v Speaker 2>Kitterkatter. Once upon a time, in a distant land, there

3
00:00:25.519 --> 00:00:28.760
<v Speaker 2>lived a woman. She didn't look like you or me,

4
00:00:29.440 --> 00:00:32.960
<v Speaker 2>for her face was covered in fur and long whiskers.

5
00:00:33.799 --> 00:00:37.119
<v Speaker 2>She wasn't terribly tall, and a striped tail could be

6
00:00:37.159 --> 00:00:42.960
<v Speaker 2>seen beneath her skirt. Her name was Kitterkatter. Every day,

7
00:00:43.240 --> 00:00:46.000
<v Speaker 2>kit Katter would climb down the steps from her tree

8
00:00:46.039 --> 00:00:49.640
<v Speaker 2>house and take a walk with her basket, gathering items

9
00:00:49.640 --> 00:00:53.560
<v Speaker 2>that she could turn into a meal. Sometimes she would

10
00:00:53.560 --> 00:00:56.399
<v Speaker 2>find fruit, but would take a moment to make sure

11
00:00:56.439 --> 00:01:01.240
<v Speaker 2>that it was ripe before picking it. Sometimes she find mushrooms,

12
00:01:01.759 --> 00:01:04.200
<v Speaker 2>but would take a moment to make sure they weren't

13
00:01:04.280 --> 00:01:09.239
<v Speaker 2>poisonous before picking them. And sometimes she would find honey,

14
00:01:09.560 --> 00:01:11.959
<v Speaker 2>but would take a moment to make sure she didn't

15
00:01:12.000 --> 00:01:16.719
<v Speaker 2>anger the bees before removing some. Once her basket was full,

16
00:01:17.000 --> 00:01:20.079
<v Speaker 2>kitdter Katter would climb up the steps that circled her

17
00:01:20.120 --> 00:01:23.920
<v Speaker 2>tree to her home amongst the branches, and there she

18
00:01:23.959 --> 00:01:29.280
<v Speaker 2>would make her meal. Today, though, was different. Her basket,

19
00:01:29.480 --> 00:01:33.000
<v Speaker 2>she was pleased to see, was full, and her treehouse

20
00:01:33.120 --> 00:01:36.359
<v Speaker 2>was in sight, but something was a miss in the

21
00:01:36.400 --> 00:01:40.319
<v Speaker 2>woods where she lived. The birds in the trees all

22
00:01:40.480 --> 00:01:44.400
<v Speaker 2>took off at once, cawing and shrieking their warnings that

23
00:01:44.560 --> 00:01:49.560
<v Speaker 2>something was approaching. Kit Katter was no fool, so she ran,

24
00:01:50.239 --> 00:01:54.719
<v Speaker 2>and just in time too. As she climbed her treehouse steps,

25
00:01:54.879 --> 00:01:58.640
<v Speaker 2>a terrible beast bounded up behind her. It had the

26
00:01:58.680 --> 00:02:02.239
<v Speaker 2>body of a big cat, but the head of an alligator,

27
00:02:02.799 --> 00:02:07.519
<v Speaker 2>an Ali cat. It snapped its jaws at Kittercatter's heels,

28
00:02:07.799 --> 00:02:11.439
<v Speaker 2>but Kitterkatter was too quick. The Ali cat was too

29
00:02:11.520 --> 00:02:16.639
<v Speaker 2>large to follow her. Come back down and fill my belly,

30
00:02:17.199 --> 00:02:22.960
<v Speaker 2>pleaded the Alla cat never called down, Kittercatter. I intend

31
00:02:23.000 --> 00:02:25.960
<v Speaker 2>to fill my own belly with the contents of my basket.

32
00:02:26.400 --> 00:02:30.439
<v Speaker 2>I don't want to fill up yours. How selfish of you,

33
00:02:31.240 --> 00:02:35.759
<v Speaker 2>complained the Alli cat. Perhaps I'll hang around here awhile,

34
00:02:36.400 --> 00:02:43.520
<v Speaker 2>and maybe, just maybe I'll catch you later. Chuckling to himself,

35
00:02:43.719 --> 00:02:48.719
<v Speaker 2>the Ali cat slipped away. Kitterkatter's treehouse home wasn't large.

36
00:02:49.159 --> 00:02:52.240
<v Speaker 2>There was barely enough room for her bed, a small

37
00:02:52.280 --> 00:02:55.919
<v Speaker 2>table and chair, and a tiny kitchen, but it was

38
00:02:56.080 --> 00:02:59.840
<v Speaker 2>enough for her. She unpacked her basket, ate her meal,

39
00:03:00.360 --> 00:03:02.960
<v Speaker 2>and once she had tidied it up, looked for the

40
00:03:03.080 --> 00:03:06.439
<v Speaker 2>Ali cat from her window. There was no sign of

41
00:03:06.479 --> 00:03:10.319
<v Speaker 2>it anywhere. I shall worry about it in the morning,

42
00:03:10.639 --> 00:03:15.240
<v Speaker 2>thought Kitterkatter. Perhaps by then that Ali Cat's hungry belly

43
00:03:15.319 --> 00:03:19.159
<v Speaker 2>will have pulled him somewhere else. When it was time

44
00:03:19.240 --> 00:03:22.800
<v Speaker 2>to take her basket out the next morning, Kitterkatter took

45
00:03:22.800 --> 00:03:26.520
<v Speaker 2>a moment to look again from the window. Seeing nothing

46
00:03:26.560 --> 00:03:29.319
<v Speaker 2>of the Alla cat, she ventured out on to the

47
00:03:29.360 --> 00:03:34.039
<v Speaker 2>tree house steps, taking a moment to check again. I

48
00:03:34.240 --> 00:03:38.599
<v Speaker 2>do believe that Ali cat has gone, said Kitterkatter, and

49
00:03:38.680 --> 00:03:41.919
<v Speaker 2>so with a smile on her whiskered face, she headed

50
00:03:41.960 --> 00:03:45.759
<v Speaker 2>off to fill her basket. She had not gone far

51
00:03:45.879 --> 00:03:50.000
<v Speaker 2>when she found some wild garlic. She was just pulling

52
00:03:50.000 --> 00:03:53.280
<v Speaker 2>it from the ground when a commotion behind her almost

53
00:03:53.280 --> 00:03:56.599
<v Speaker 2>made her drop it. A man was running towards her,

54
00:03:57.000 --> 00:03:59.800
<v Speaker 2>holding his hat in place to stop it from flying.

55
00:04:01.400 --> 00:04:05.639
<v Speaker 2>Like Kitterkatter, he was short, although his furry nose was long,

56
00:04:05.840 --> 00:04:10.599
<v Speaker 2>and he had speckled fur. Run run, there's a terrible beast.

57
00:04:10.919 --> 00:04:13.800
<v Speaker 2>If we're caught, he'll have a feast, puffed the man

58
00:04:13.840 --> 00:04:18.360
<v Speaker 2>as he sprinted, stuffing the garlic into her basket. Kitterkatter

59
00:04:18.560 --> 00:04:22.839
<v Speaker 2>ran follow me, she shouted, leading the man straight to

60
00:04:22.920 --> 00:04:26.839
<v Speaker 2>her treehouse steps. They were barely half way up when

61
00:04:26.879 --> 00:04:31.639
<v Speaker 2>the Ali cat jumped, narrowly missing the man's heels. Come

62
00:04:31.680 --> 00:04:35.759
<v Speaker 2>back down and fill my belly, suggested the Alla cat.

63
00:04:36.720 --> 00:04:41.800
<v Speaker 2>We'd rather not called down, Kitterkatter. What a selfish pear

64
00:04:42.000 --> 00:04:46.199
<v Speaker 2>you are, grumbled the Alli cat. But now I know

65
00:04:46.399 --> 00:04:49.600
<v Speaker 2>there are two of you up there, perhaps I won't

66
00:04:49.639 --> 00:04:54.519
<v Speaker 2>go too far. As Kitterkatter watched from above, the Ali

67
00:04:54.600 --> 00:05:00.000
<v Speaker 2>cat slinked away. My goodness, said Kitterkatter as she turned

68
00:05:00.120 --> 00:05:04.720
<v Speaker 2>to the man. You're quite shaken up. I've had such

69
00:05:04.720 --> 00:05:09.120
<v Speaker 2>a terrible fright, said the man with speckled fur. They

70
00:05:09.160 --> 00:05:12.720
<v Speaker 2>call me spitter Spatter. Then let me make you a

71
00:05:12.800 --> 00:05:17.439
<v Speaker 2>calming cup of tea, spitter Spatter, said Kitterkatter. You're welcome

72
00:05:17.519 --> 00:05:20.560
<v Speaker 2>to stay in my little treehouse until the danger has gone.

73
00:05:21.639 --> 00:05:26.160
<v Speaker 2>But when Kitterkatter handed spitter Spatter the steaming cup, he

74
00:05:26.360 --> 00:05:28.879
<v Speaker 2>was alarmed to see her pick up her basket to

75
00:05:29.040 --> 00:05:33.000
<v Speaker 2>head out again. Surely you're not going outside with that

76
00:05:33.199 --> 00:05:37.199
<v Speaker 2>beast out there, he asked. If I can, I will,

77
00:05:37.680 --> 00:05:41.720
<v Speaker 2>replied Kitterkatter. But I always take a moment to decide

78
00:05:41.720 --> 00:05:47.279
<v Speaker 2>what's best before I do anything. Don't you worry about me. Firstly,

79
00:05:47.399 --> 00:05:50.600
<v Speaker 2>she took a moment to check her window and saw nothing.

80
00:05:51.600 --> 00:05:55.560
<v Speaker 2>Then kitter Katter advanced to the treehouse's steps and took

81
00:05:55.600 --> 00:05:59.279
<v Speaker 2>a moment to look from there. Perhaps this time the

82
00:05:59.399 --> 00:06:03.879
<v Speaker 2>Alla cat was really gone. She headed down with her basket,

83
00:06:04.279 --> 00:06:07.920
<v Speaker 2>constantly looking for danger as she went, even when she

84
00:06:08.079 --> 00:06:12.199
<v Speaker 2>was under the cover of the trees. After a short while,

85
00:06:12.399 --> 00:06:17.319
<v Speaker 2>she came upon fat, juicy blackberries. These would be good,

86
00:06:17.600 --> 00:06:22.160
<v Speaker 2>Kitterkatter thought, and began to pick them. She'd half filled

87
00:06:22.160 --> 00:06:25.439
<v Speaker 2>her basket when the pounding of running feet alerted her

88
00:06:25.519 --> 00:06:29.759
<v Speaker 2>that someone was coming. It was a young woman who had,

89
00:06:29.879 --> 00:06:33.360
<v Speaker 2>by the looks of her, been out collecting firewood, but

90
00:06:33.560 --> 00:06:36.720
<v Speaker 2>was now hurling the sticks over her shoulder at whatever

91
00:06:36.879 --> 00:06:40.759
<v Speaker 2>was chasing her. She was a little taller than Kitterkatter,

92
00:06:41.079 --> 00:06:45.879
<v Speaker 2>with orange fur and pointed ears. Run run, there's a

93
00:06:45.959 --> 00:06:49.399
<v Speaker 2>terrible beast. If we're caught, he'll have a feast, panted

94
00:06:49.399 --> 00:06:53.360
<v Speaker 2>the woman as she threw her sticks. Kit Katter forgot

95
00:06:53.399 --> 00:06:58.199
<v Speaker 2>all about the blackberries and ran follow me. She shouted

96
00:06:58.399 --> 00:07:01.680
<v Speaker 2>and dashed for her tree house. This time, the Ali

97
00:07:01.720 --> 00:07:05.079
<v Speaker 2>cat's claw managed to scratch at the woman's shoe, but

98
00:07:05.279 --> 00:07:07.920
<v Speaker 2>he was again too slow to catch any one on

99
00:07:08.000 --> 00:07:13.720
<v Speaker 2>the treehouse steps. Oh misery, wailed the Alli cat. Do

100
00:07:13.920 --> 00:07:17.879
<v Speaker 2>come back down and fill my belly. We're fine where

101
00:07:17.879 --> 00:07:23.199
<v Speaker 2>we are, thank you, called down Kittercatter. What a selfish trio,

102
00:07:23.759 --> 00:07:27.439
<v Speaker 2>mumbled the Alli cat. But now I know that there

103
00:07:27.480 --> 00:07:30.639
<v Speaker 2>are three of you up there, I won't go too

104
00:07:30.800 --> 00:07:36.399
<v Speaker 2>far with three. The tiny tree house was quite crowded. Now,

105
00:07:37.519 --> 00:07:42.079
<v Speaker 2>thank you for saving me, said the woman. My name's Knitternatdter.

106
00:07:43.040 --> 00:07:48.560
<v Speaker 2>Kitterkatter introduced herself and spitter Spatter before saying Knitternatder, you

107
00:07:48.600 --> 00:07:51.199
<v Speaker 2>are welcome to stay in my little tree house until

108
00:07:51.199 --> 00:07:55.680
<v Speaker 2>the danger has gone. Knitternatder, though, was surprised to see

109
00:07:55.759 --> 00:08:00.120
<v Speaker 2>Kitterkatter picking up her basket to head out again. Why

110
00:08:00.120 --> 00:08:02.759
<v Speaker 2>are you really planning on going outside with an Ali

111
00:08:02.839 --> 00:08:08.480
<v Speaker 2>cat out there, she asked. Don't worry, replied Kitterkatter. I'll

112
00:08:08.480 --> 00:08:10.800
<v Speaker 2>take a moment to make sure it's safe before I

113
00:08:10.879 --> 00:08:14.079
<v Speaker 2>go ahead. She took a moment to check her window

114
00:08:14.480 --> 00:08:17.600
<v Speaker 2>and did the same at the steps, then headed off

115
00:08:17.639 --> 00:08:21.800
<v Speaker 2>beneath the trees. This time she was pleased to find

116
00:08:21.839 --> 00:08:25.480
<v Speaker 2>a tree full of apples. They were large and heavy.

117
00:08:25.839 --> 00:08:29.279
<v Speaker 2>Bowing down the branches and making them easy to pick,

118
00:08:30.040 --> 00:08:33.159
<v Speaker 2>but she'd only gathered six when the sound of running

119
00:08:33.200 --> 00:08:38.000
<v Speaker 2>got her attention. Three figures were charging toward her, each

120
00:08:38.120 --> 00:08:43.039
<v Speaker 2>with very different feathery faces. One was taller than her,

121
00:08:43.559 --> 00:08:48.399
<v Speaker 2>one the same height, and one even shorter. Run run,

122
00:08:48.519 --> 00:08:51.679
<v Speaker 2>there's a terrible beast. If we're caught, he'll have a feast.

123
00:08:52.039 --> 00:08:56.720
<v Speaker 2>Puffed the tallest figure, Kitterkatter swung her basket onto her

124
00:08:56.840 --> 00:09:01.559
<v Speaker 2>arm and yelled follow me, directing them to her treehouse steps.

125
00:09:02.440 --> 00:09:05.600
<v Speaker 2>This time, the Alli cat was so close to catching

126
00:09:05.639 --> 00:09:08.679
<v Speaker 2>the shortest figure that he plucked out a tail feather,

127
00:09:09.200 --> 00:09:14.120
<v Speaker 2>but still didn't catch anyone. Instead of demanding they come

128
00:09:14.159 --> 00:09:18.320
<v Speaker 2>and fill his belly, the frustrated Ali cat began shaking

129
00:09:18.360 --> 00:09:22.159
<v Speaker 2>the tree and pulling at the branches, making the tiny

130
00:09:22.240 --> 00:09:28.120
<v Speaker 2>treehouse tremble and wobble. What was worse, Kitterkatter's home was

131
00:09:28.200 --> 00:09:32.320
<v Speaker 2>now packed so tightly that the occupants were unable to move.

132
00:09:33.440 --> 00:09:37.360
<v Speaker 2>As the treehouse shook, kitter Katter learned that the newcomers

133
00:09:37.360 --> 00:09:42.240
<v Speaker 2>were called Madder Hatter, fitter Fatter, and pitter Patter. What

134
00:09:42.360 --> 00:09:46.879
<v Speaker 2>do we do? Cried spitter Spatter. The beast has us trapped.

135
00:09:47.600 --> 00:09:53.759
<v Speaker 2>There's no escape, added Knitternatter. Help us, Kittercutter begged pitter Patter,

136
00:09:53.879 --> 00:09:58.399
<v Speaker 2>as the treehouse's shaking got worse. Let us take a moment,

137
00:09:58.840 --> 00:10:03.240
<v Speaker 2>said Kitterkatter. Anciently, she wanted to take a moment to think,

138
00:10:03.759 --> 00:10:08.840
<v Speaker 2>not wishing to make a bad situation worse. Hurry, yelled

139
00:10:08.840 --> 00:10:13.679
<v Speaker 2>fitter Fatter, as the treehouse creaked and groaned. Of course,

140
00:10:14.039 --> 00:10:19.399
<v Speaker 2>said Kitterkatter. At last, we must stand on the steps outside.

141
00:10:19.559 --> 00:10:24.639
<v Speaker 2>Pitter Patter went first, followed by fitter Fatter, Madder Hatter, Nitternatter,

142
00:10:24.840 --> 00:10:29.679
<v Speaker 2>spitter Spatter, and finally Kitterkatter. Just as the Alli cat

143
00:10:29.720 --> 00:10:33.639
<v Speaker 2>gave the tree an almighty shake. With a loud crack,

144
00:10:33.960 --> 00:10:38.879
<v Speaker 2>the treehouse broke free and fell, squashing the Ali cat flat.

145
00:10:39.960 --> 00:10:44.840
<v Speaker 2>Oh your poor home, said spitter Spatter. It is a shame,

146
00:10:45.200 --> 00:10:48.720
<v Speaker 2>said Kitterkatter, But if you take a moment to think

147
00:10:48.720 --> 00:10:51.360
<v Speaker 2>about it, better to be without a home than in

148
00:10:51.399 --> 00:11:11.000
<v Speaker 2>the belly of an Ali cat.