Once upon a time there was a little leopard named Fern who was ten and a half years old and loved to read. She would read for a long time in the morning, and a long time in the afternoon, and just keep on reading. But her mom stopped her sometimes; she said Fern needed to rest her eyes in order not to get glasses, and Fern really did not want glasses because she thought they looked ugly.
Fern followed her mama’s directions and didn’t read for an hour or two, and then kept reading.
One day, Fern heard a knock on the door, but Fern was so busy with her book that she didn’t notice.
Mama Leopard opened the door, and there was Flower who was going to go on a playdate with Fern.
“Okay,” said Fern. “But let me finish this chapter.” She finished the chapter, but kept reading after that because she loved the book so much.
“Are you done yet,” Flower asked impatiently.
“Oh, um yeah I’m done.”
She put the book away and started playing with Flower. Once she and Mama Leopard had said goodbye to Flower and she had gone back to her house, Mama Leopard said in a very stern voice, “Fern, what you did was very disrespectful. I hope you don’t do it again.”
“Okay Mama,” Fern apologized, “I will try not to. But now can I please go back to read my book? I just got to the good part.”
“Sure honey,” sighed Mama Leopard.
Fern got back to reading her book for a while.
“Fern,” called Mama Leopard. “It’s time for a reading break. We’re going to have a snack.”
“Okay Mama,” Fern called, remembering that she might need glasses if she didn’t take a break.
Fern went over to the table and watched as Mama Leopard put down two trays of food; one was full of veggies and one was full of fruit.
“So,” said Mama Leopard, sitting down at the table across from Fern. “I noticed something.”
“What mom?” Fern asked her, while crunching on a delicious orange carrot.
“It’s just that…” said Mama Leopard, “when I say it’s time to take a break from reading, you come immediately. But once one of your best friends knocks on the door, you have to “finish this chapter” then you finish the chapter, but you don’t finish reading. Why is that?”
“Well,” said Fern, “it’s because I don’t want to get glasses. It’s also because when I… I just have a habit that makes me keep reading when it’s something not important to me. I don’t think going to the door is as important as reading because I like reading more than going to the door.”
“Well,” said Mama Leopard, “can we try to erase that habit?”
“What does ‘erasing a habit’ mean?” Fern asked her.
“It means getting rid of it,” said Mama Leopard.
“Oh,” meowed Fern, “I mean I guess we could try. But how?”
“Well,” said Mama Leopard. “I’ll just remind you every time you make a mistake, and then you’ll not do that, and then you’ll get into the habit of not doing the bad habit. Does that sound like a good plan?”
“Yeah,” said Fern. “Thanks mom! I’m gonna go read one of my books upstairs”
“You’re welcome honey,” purred Mama Leopard, but Fern was already up the stairs and in her room where she threw herself on her bed and got her favorite book and snuggled up to read it.
The book was full of short stories and it was called, “Animal Stories From Around the World.” Her favorite story in this book was called “Dapplegrim” and it was about a young boy and a horse who rescued a princess from atop a really high mountain and who stomped down the mountain with his horse’s powerful hoof.
A couple of minutes later, Mama Leopard called upstairs. “Fern, Marsh just called on the phone. He says he wants to talk to you.”
“He does?” Fern called back downstairs. “Hold on, I’ll be there in a minute.”
She finished the story quickly and dashed downstairs to the ringing phone.
“Hey Marsh,” said Fern to the phone.
“Hey Fern,” Marsh’s voice answered back. “I want to ask you, what’s your favorite fruit that’s not mango?”
“Pineapple. Why are you asking?”
“You’ll see,” answered Marsh cheerfully.
And he hung up.
“Mom,” Fern asked her mom, “Why do you think Marsh was asking what my favorite fruit is that’s not a mango?”
“I don’t know, honey,” answered Mama Leopard. “Maybe he’s going to get something for your birthday? Maybe he doesn’t know what to get you for your birthday.”
“Oh,” said Fern. “That’s probably it.”
Fern went back upstairs to read a book and Mama Leopard went back to prepare a feast for them to eat with Fern’s grandma and grandpa who were coming over.
A couple of hours later, the doorbell rang.
“Grandma and grandpa are here!” Mama Leopard shouted up the stairs.
“Great!” called Fern.
She rushed downstairs and opened the door and threw herself into a hug from Grandpa Leopard. Then she twisted and jumped into Grandma Leopard’s arms, hugging her as well.
“Hi mom, hi dad,” said Mama Leopard, opening the door. “I haven’t seen you both in a while!”
“Well we’ve been busy going around the world,” said Grandpa Leopard. “But now I’m hungry! Is there anything to eat?”
“Yes,” said Mama Leopard. “In fact, I just made a bunch of food. We can have a feast!”
“Great,” said Grandpa Leopard. “Let’s eat!”
He stomped into the kitchen and sat down at the table and called to them, “Hey are you guys going to come over here?”
“Yep,” said Mama Leopard, “We’re coming.”
She hurried over to the table with Grandma Leopard and Fern right behind her, who were chatting about how much Grandpa Leopard loved to eat.
Mama Leopard got all the food, and ate until their tummies were all full.
Once the feast was done, Grandpa Leopard said, “That was a delicious feast! We will come over more often to eat because that was super good!”
“Thank you,” said Mama Leopard.
“You’re welcome,” said Grandpa Leopard.
“Now, now,” said Grandma Leopard. “It’s getting late. We should get going.”
Fern and Mama Leopard waved goodbye as Grandma and Grandpa Leopard started a new journey.
“Well Fern,” Mama Leopard purred, “you did a wonderful job of parting with your book. I think it deserves a reward. How about some ice cream?”
“Yes!” Fern cheered.
“And how about,” said Mama Leopard, “we put the ice cream in a triple scoop cone?”
“I love that!” said Fern.
“But,” said mama Leopard, “Under one condition.”
“What is it, Mama?” Fern asked her. “I’d do anything for triple scoop ice cream!”
“Really,” said Mama Leopard. “What if I asked you to clean the house with me?”
“Um,” said Fern, “Maybe not everything…”
The end.