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Speaker 1: Hey, yeah, hello. My name's Josephine and this is the

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Animal Tales podcast, where you suggest the animals featured in

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our stories. There are new tales to enjoy every Monday

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and Wednesday, with a third premium only story every Friday.

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To learn more about Animal Tales, please visit our new

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website at Animaltales dot uk, where you can now find

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stories more easily by animal type. Sophie is from Canberra

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in Australia and she would like a story with a

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guinea pig, a rabbit, a cat and a dog. You

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can learn more about these creatures in the animal facts

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after the story. Okay, are you ready? That's good, then

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I'll begin. I'd like to buy a pet please. Sophie

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had got herself a Saturday job. There was a small

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pet shop near to where she lived, and Sophie had

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been lucky enough to spot the small hand written notice

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in the window as she was passing. She'd gone straight

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in with a big smile and was hired there and

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then Sophie began her new job the very next Saturday.

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The morning was pleasingly busy and involved her stacking shelves,

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sweeping the floor, and generally helping to keep the place

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neat and tidy. After lunch, the owner of the shop

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taught Sophie how to take payments behind the counter, meaning

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Sophie was soon selling cat food, dog toys, and the

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occasional goldfish. By late afternoon, though the pet shop had

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become very quiet and there wasn't much to do, the

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owner announced that she was heading out back to do

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some paperwork, leaving Sophie in charge behind the counter. This

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made Sophie feel very important. She realized that the owner

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must think she was doing a good job to trust

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her like this. She was just straightening out the displays

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on the countertop when she heard a polite cough. On

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the floor before the counter was a guinea pig, looking

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up at her. Good afternoon, said the guinea pig politely.

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Er Hi replied Sophie. She couldn't be certain, but she

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was reasonably sure that this wasn't normal. I'd like to

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buy a pet, please, said the guinea pig. You do,

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asked Sophie in surprise. Is that a problem, asked the

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guinea pig, sounding unsure. I mean this is a pet shop.

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It is where people come to buy a pet. No, no,

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it's not a problem. Replied Sophie, it's just that well.

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She wanted to say that she thought it unusual to

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be serving a guinea pig, but thought better of it.

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I'm new, she blurted out. At last, this is my

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first day. I'm still getting used to things. So I

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can buy a pet, then, can, I asked the guinea pig. Well, uh,

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I suppose, so, shrugged Sophie. What sort of pet did

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you have in mind? A rabbit, please, said the guinea pig,

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the black one with the twitchy nose. Sophie came out

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from behind the counter, crossed to the rabbit pen, and

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gently lifted out the rabbit. Should I put her in

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a pet carrier for you, Sophie asked, gesturing to one

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of the cardboard boxes with a carrying handle. No, no,

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smiled the guinea pig. You can just put her down

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next to me. Sophie did just that. Now, how would

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you like to pay? She asked, remembering the words she

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was supposed to ask each customer. Card or cash? Oh,

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cash please, said the guinea pig, and held up a coin.

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It wasn't a big coin, and it wasn't nearly enough

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to buy a rabbit, judging from the cobweb dangling from it.

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The coin had been found someplace dusty, where someone had

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dropped it. Oh, said Sophie, not sure what to do.

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I'm afraid you're going to need more than that. If

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you want to buy a rabbit, I can go and

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look for another coin, suggested the guinea pig, hopefully. I

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still don't think that will be enough, said Sophie. I'm

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ever so sorry. The guinea pig gave a big sigh

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and sag forward. Oh whiskers, he said, looking disappointed. Sophie

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couldn't help but feel extremely sorry for him. She had

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imagined that working in a pet shop would be about

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putting smiles on the customer's faces, and yet here she was,

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on her very first day with a sad one look.

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She found herself saying, why don't I lend you the money?

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Then you can pay me back later. The guinea pig's

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eyes brightened. You'd really do that, he smiled. Of course,

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said Sophie. I have a Saturday job now, so I

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can afford it. Then it's a deal, grinned the guinea

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pig broadly as he turned to the black bunny. Oh wow,

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look at me, I'm a pet owner. I now have

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my very own rabbit. Can I get you anything else

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while you're here? Sophie asked, no, not for me, nodded

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the guinea pig happily. I've got everything I need. Glad

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to hear it, smiled Sophie. In return, Um, can I

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have something? Asked the black rabbit. This was unexpected, okay,

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said Sophie. How can I help. I'd like to buy

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a pet, please, said the rabbit. Oh, said Sophie. She

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wanted to point out that pets didn't normally own a pet,

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but Sophie believed in fairness. There wasn't any rule, not

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that she knew of, that said that this couldn't be done.

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What kind of pet were you thinking of, she said?

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A cat, please, said the rabbit, the white one with

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the green eyes. Sophie came out from behind the counter,

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crossed to where the kittens were kept, and gently lifted

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out the young cat. Would you like a pet, carrier,

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offered Sophie. I don't think so, grinned the rabbit next

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to me. You will be just fine. Sophie gently placed

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the cat on the floor. There was now a guinea pig,

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a rabbit, and a cat, all in a row before

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the counter. How would you like to pay, Sophie asked,

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card or cash? Can I use a carrot? Asked the rabbit.

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A carrot, repeated Sophie. I don't think so. Normally, it's

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some kind of payment card or banknotes and coins? Do

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you have anything like that? How about two carrots, suggested

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the rabbit. It's a lot, I know, but I'd be

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willing to give you two for this lovely fluffy kitty. Unfortunately,

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even two carrots isn't enough for a cat, explained Sophie.

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I'm really sorry. The rabbit gave a big sigh, her

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ears flopping downwards. Oh whiskers, she said, looking full of disappointment.

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Sophie's heart went out to the saddened rabbit. How could

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it be right for the guinea pig to be allowed

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a pet but not the rabbit. That wasn't fair at all.

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How about this, she found herself, saying, what if I

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lend you the money and you pay me back when

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you can. The rabbit's ears shot upwards. That's very kind

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of you, she said. I'm happy to help, said Sophie.

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My Saturday job means I have a little extra money,

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so I can afford to help you too. Thank you

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so much, grinned the rabbit broadly as she turned to

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the white kitten. This is just great. Who would have

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thought I'm a pet owner? I now have my very

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own cat. I'm pleased that you're pleased, said Sophie with

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a smile. Now can I get you anything else while

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you're here? No, thank you, replied the rabbit. Happily, this

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is all I need. Very good, nodded Sophie. Excuse me,

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said the white cat. May I have something you want

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something as well, asked the astonished Sophie. Okay, how can

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I help you exactly? I'd like to buy a pet, please,

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said the cat. I had a feeling you were going

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to say that, said Sophie. And what kind of pet

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were you thinking? Of? A dog? Please, said the cat,

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the spotty one with the waggy tail. Once again, Sophie

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came out from behind the counter, this time crossing to

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the puppies, where she selected the spotty one. It did

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indeed have a waggy tail. I'm going to guess that

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you don't want a pet, carrier, suggested Sophie. That's right,

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nodded the cat. Pop her down beside me. That will

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be fine. Sophie set the dog down carefully as instructed.

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There was now a guinea pig, a rabbit, a cat,

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and a dog all lined up before the counter. I'm

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going to have to ask, Sophie said slowly, how would

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you like to pay cash or card? I have no idea,

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answered the cat. Honestly, I'm not even sure I know

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what those things are. Well, that's fair enough, acknowledged Sophie.

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But I can't just give you a dog. She has

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to be paid for somehow. Oh whiskers, said the cat.

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Could you pay for my dog and I pay you

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back like you did for the rabbit. That seemed to work,

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didn't it. Well? I guess so, said Sophie reluctantly. I'm

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not getting paid all that much for my Saturday job,

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but it should stretch to paying for a dog as well. Okay,

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let's do that. Oh how wonderful, purred the cat. I'm

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a pet owner. I've gone and got myself my very

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own dog. I'm just happy that we were able to

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work something out, smiled Sophie. Now I have to ask,

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is there anything else I can get you while you're here?

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I'm quite happy with just my dog. Thank you, replied

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the cat. I don't need another thing. Then we're all done,

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said Sophie. What about me, asked the spotty dog. Do

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I get a go? Sophie realized that she should have

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seen this coming, of course, she said, how can I

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help you? I'd like to buy a pet, please, said

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the dog, her tail wagging excitedly. Of course you do,

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nodded Sophie. And what sort of pet did you have

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in mind? A guinea pig, please, said the dog, A

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brown and white one that makes squeaky noises. Then you're

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in luck, said Sophie as she set off across the store.

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We've only got one guinea pig, and it looks exactly

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like that. But when she arrived at the guinea pig's cage,

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she found the door wide open. She returned to the

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animal line up to gaze down at the guinea pig

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who had started all this. Ah, said Sophie, I think

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I can see what's happened here, ye, well, asked the dog.

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Can I buy him? Sophie rubbed her chin. I guess

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you can, she said. I mean, strictly speaking, he does

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belong to the pet shop and he is for sale,

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so yes, I suppose you can. Oh goody, smiled the dog,

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her tail thumping against the floor. Would I be right

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in thinking, said Sophie. That you also don't have a

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card or cash to pay for your pet. I could

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give you a lick, offered the dog. I've got lots

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of those to spare. Oh well, said Sophie, I've paid

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for everything else. I suppose I ought to pay for

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you too. In all honesty, she wasn't sure her wages

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were stretched to paying for all four animals, but she

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was sure she could work something out. But you've got

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to pay me back, she insisted. Oh I will, I will,

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agreed the spotty dog. I can't believe I'm a pet owner.

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I have my very own guinea pig. I must ask

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before we finish, said Sophie to the dog. Is there

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anything else I can get you? Nope, replied the dog.

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I'm quite happy. Sophie half expected one of the animals

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to speak, but nobody did. The guinea pig stood next

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to his rabbit, while the rabbit stood next to her cat.

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The cat stood beside his dog, and the dog looked

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across at her guinea pig. So now what do we do?

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Asked the guinea pig. Well, normally you'd go home with

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your new pet, said Sophie. But we don't have a home,

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said the rabbit. We live in the pet shop. Not anymore,

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said Sophie. You've been sold, oh, said the cat. From

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What are we supposed to do? This was puzzling, thought Sophie.

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Four animals, all bought and paid for, but with no

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home to go to, You know, she said, at last,

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until you pay me back. It's my money that's paid

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for you all. I guess that means you're all coming

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home with me. Animals. Fat guinea pigs have an unusual

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arrangement of toes. They have four on each of their

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front feet, but just three on each of their back feet.

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When happy rabbits can purr, they make the sound by

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gently chattering their teeth together. Cats make far more sounds

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than you might realize. We've documented over one hundred distinct

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noises a cat makes to communicate how it's feeling. Likewise,

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dogs can display over a hundred facial expressions to show

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how they're feeling too. Thank you for your suggestions, Sophie.

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We hope you enjoyed the story, and thank you to

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all of you across the world. For listening to it.

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another great animal tale. Good Bye,