Jean Pierre Claris de Florian
|
France

The Inquisitive Cat

A curious cat, confused by its reflection in a mirror, decides to focus on simple pleasures after a failed investigation.
Curiosity
Contentment
Understanding
The Inquisitive Cat
Audio available for B1 version

Once upon a time, there was a very curious cat who lived with a kind family in a cozy house. This cat loved to explore every corner of her home, always looking for something new and exciting.

One sunny morning, the cat found her owner's dressing table. On this table was a big mirror. The cat had never noticed the mirror before, but today she saw something strange. As she looked into the mirror, she saw another cat staring back at her.

"Who is this cat?" she wondered. Curious, the cat tried to get closer to the reflection. She moved forward and touched the mirror with her paw. But she only felt cold glass, and the other cat did the same.

Confused, the cat walked around to the back of the mirror, thinking she could find the other cat hiding there. But there was nothing behind the mirror, just the wall. She returned to the front and saw the other cat again, still looking at her with wide eyes.

Determined to solve the mystery, the cat jumped onto the table. She put one paw on each side of the mirror, trying to catch the other cat. She bent her ears down and leaned closer, hoping to get a better look. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't grab the cat in the mirror.

Then, in her excitement and confusion, the cat lost her balance. She fell off the table and landed softly on the floor. The fall surprised her, but she was not hurt. Shaking her head, she decided to forget about the strange cat in the mirror.

The cat looked at the mirror one last time and thought, "Why worry about things I can't understand?" She then went off to find something more fun to do, like chasing mice. From that day on, she decided to enjoy the simple things in life and not worry about complicated things.

Once upon a time, there was a very curious cat who lived with a kind family in a cozy house. This cat loved to explore every corner of her home, always looking for something new and exciting.

One sunny morning, the cat found her owner's dressing table. On this table was a big mirror. The cat had never noticed the mirror before, but today she saw something strange. As she looked into the mirror, she saw another cat staring back at her.

"Who is this cat?" she wondered. Curious, the cat tried to get closer to the reflection. She moved forward and touched the mirror with her paw. But she only felt cold glass, and the other cat did the same.

Confused, the cat walked around to the back of the mirror, thinking she could find the other cat hiding there. But there was nothing behind the mirror, just the wall. She returned to the front and saw the other cat again, still looking at her with wide eyes.

Determined to solve the mystery, the cat jumped onto the table. She put one paw on each side of the mirror, trying to catch the other cat. She bent her ears down and leaned closer, hoping to get a better look. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't grab the cat in the mirror.

Then, in her excitement and confusion, the cat lost her balance. She fell off the table and landed softly on the floor. The fall surprised her, but she was not hurt. Shaking her head, she decided to forget about the strange cat in the mirror.

The cat looked at the mirror one last time and thought, "Why worry about things I can't understand?" She then went off to find something more fun to do, like chasing mice. From that day on, she decided to enjoy the simple things in life and not worry about complicated things.

There is a cat. She lives with a nice family in a small house. This cat likes to look around. She wants to find new and fun things.

One sunny day, the cat sees a big mirror. She has not seen the mirror before. Today, she sees something strange. In the mirror, she sees another cat.

"Who is this cat?" she thinks. The cat moves closer to the mirror. She touches the mirror with her paw. But she only feels cold glass. The other cat does the same.

The cat goes behind the mirror. She thinks the other cat is hiding there. But she sees nothing. It is just a wall. She goes back to the front of the mirror. The other cat is still there.

The cat jumps onto the table. She tries to catch the other cat. She puts one paw on each side of the mirror. She looks closer. But she cannot catch the cat in the mirror.

Then, the cat falls off the table. She lands softly on the floor. She is surprised but not hurt. She looks at the mirror one last time and thinks, "I do not understand this."

The cat decides to find something more fun to do. She goes to chase mice. From that day on, she enjoys the simple things and does not worry about the strange cat in the mirror.

Once upon a time, there was a very curious cat who lived with a kind family in a cozy house. This cat loved to explore every corner of her home, always looking for something new and exciting.

One sunny morning, the cat found her owner's dressing table. On this table was a big mirror. The cat had never noticed the mirror before, but today she saw something strange. As she looked into the mirror, she saw another cat staring back at her.

"Who is this cat?" she wondered. Curious, the cat tried to get closer to the reflection. She moved forward and touched the mirror with her paw. But she only felt cold glass, and the other cat did the same.

Confused, the cat walked around to the back of the mirror, thinking she could find the other cat hiding there. But there was nothing behind the mirror, just the wall. She returned to the front and saw the other cat again, still looking at her with wide eyes.

Determined to solve the mystery, the cat jumped onto the table. She put one paw on each side of the mirror, trying to catch the other cat. She bent her ears down and leaned closer, hoping to get a better look. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't grab the cat in the mirror.

Then, in her excitement and confusion, the cat lost her balance. She fell off the table and landed softly on the floor. The fall surprised her, but she was not hurt. Shaking her head, she decided to forget about the strange cat in the mirror.

The cat looked at the mirror one last time and thought, "Why worry about things I can't understand?" She then went off to find something more fun to do, like chasing mice. From that day on, she decided to enjoy the simple things in life and not worry about complicated things.

Once upon a time, in a snug little house, there lived a very curious cat with a family who loved her dearly. This cat was always up to something, poking her nose into every nook and cranny, hoping to discover the next big adventure.

One bright morning, as the sun tickled the windows, the cat stumbled upon her owner's dressing table. Now, this table had a big, shiny mirror, but our curious kitty had never paid it much attention. Today, however, she noticed something odd. There, in the mirror, was another cat staring right back at her!

"Who on earth is this cat?" she thought, tilting her head to one side. Curious as a cat could be, she inched closer to the reflection. She reached out a paw to touch the mirror, and surprise, surprise, the other cat did the same!

"Hey! Copycat! Stop mimicking me!" she meowed in her best bossy voice. But the other cat just silently mimicked her, which was incredibly frustrating.

Determined to solve this mystery, our cat trotted around to the back of the mirror. "Aha! I’ll catch you sneaking around back here!" she exclaimed. But there was nothing behind the mirror, just the wall.

"Okay, let's try this again," she thought. She jumped back in front of the mirror and saw that cat still staring at her with those wide, curious eyes. “Alright, buddy, this is war,” she declared, hopping onto the table and placing a paw on each side of the mirror.

"Prepare to be…uh…caught?" she said, leaning so close that her whiskers almost touched the glass. The other cat did exactly the same thing!

“Well, aren’t you just the rudest guest ever?” she muttered. Then, in her excitement and confusion, she lost her balance and tumbled off the table. She landed softly on the floor with a little “oof!” but wasn’t hurt at all. Shaking her head, she sat up and thought about this strange, stubborn cat in the mirror.

“Why am I wasting my time with this nonsense?” she pondered aloud. “There are so many more fun things to do, like chasing those cheeky mice!”

With one last glance at the mirror, she said, “You know what, mystery cat? You do you. I’m off to have some real fun!” And off she trotted, her tail high in the air, ready for her next adventure.

From that day on, our curious cat decided that some things are just too puzzling to bother with. She focused on the simple joys in life, like sunny spots for napping and, of course, chasing mice. And she was a happier kitty for it!

Once in a house so snug and warm,
Lived a cat with a curious charm.
She loved to explore and roam,
Making every nook her home.

One bright morning, with the sun high,
She found a mirror, caught her eye.
"Who’s this cat?" she wondered there,
Another kitty in her stare.

Curious, she reached with gentle paw,
Touched the glass, but nothing saw.
The other cat did the same,
A mirror game with no name.

She circled round, looked behind,
Hoping the other cat she’d find.
But just a wall met her sight,
The mirror trick gave her a fright.

Back to the front, the cat did leap,
Onto the table in one swift sweep.
Paws on the sides, she bent down low,
Her mirrored friend seemed close, yet so.

In her quest to understand,
She lost her balance, couldn’t land.
Down she fell, onto the floor,
Surprised but safe, she tried no more.

The cat looked once and gave a sigh,
"Some things I'll never know," thought she, with a sigh.
Off she went, to chase and play,
Leaving the mirror’s puzzle for another day.

From then on, she lived her life with glee,
Enjoying each day, wild and free.
Chasing mice and soaking sun,
Her days were filled with simple fun.

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Word Finder

  1. Curious

    Eager to learn or know something new.

  2. Explore

    Travel through an area to learn about it.

  3. Exciting

    Causing great enthusiasm and eagerness.

  4. Reflection

    An image seen in a mirror or shiny surface.

  5. Confused

    Unable to understand or think clearly.

  6. Determined

    Having made a firm decision to do something.

  7. Mystery

    Something that is difficult to understand or explain.

  8. Excitement

    A feeling of great enthusiasm and eagerness.

  9. Balance

    An even distribution of weight, enabling stability.

  10. Simple

    Easily understood or done; not complicated.

Understanding Questions

  1. Why did the cat become curious about the mirror on the dressing table?
  2. What did the cat think when she first saw her reflection in the mirror?
  3. How did the cat try to find the "other cat" she saw in the mirror?
  4. What happened when the cat tried to catch the reflection in the mirror?
  5. What did the cat decide to do after she couldn't understand the mystery of the mirror?

Word Finder

  1. Strange

    Not normal or usual, different and odd.

  2. Closer

    Nearer in distance, coming more near.

  3. Hiding

    Staying out of sight, not being seen.

  4. Catch

    Grab or hold onto something quickly.

  5. Side

    One part or surface of something, left or right.

  6. Falls

    Drops down from a high place.

  7. Lands

    Comes down to the ground softly.

  8. Surprised

    Feeling sudden wonder or amazement.

  9. Worry

    Feel uneasy or troubled about something.

  10. Enjoys

    Finds pleasure or happiness in something.

  1. Curious

    Eager to learn or know something new.

  2. Explore

    Travel through an area to learn about it.

  3. Exciting

    Causing great enthusiasm and eagerness.

  4. Reflection

    An image seen in a mirror or shiny surface.

  5. Confused

    Unable to understand or think clearly.

  6. Determined

    Having made a firm decision to do something.

  7. Mystery

    Something that is difficult to understand or explain.

  8. Excitement

    A feeling of great enthusiasm and eagerness.

  9. Balance

    An even distribution of weight, enabling stability.

  10. Simple

    Easily understood or done; not complicated.

Understanding Questions

  1. Where does the cat live?

    1. In a big city
    2. In a small house
    3. In a park
    4. In a tall building
  2. What does the cat see in the mirror?

    1. A dog
    2. A mouse
    3. Another cat
    4. A bird
  3. What does the cat feel when she touches the mirror?

    1. Warm water
    2. Soft fur
    3. Cold glass
    4. Hot metal
  4. What happens when the cat jumps onto the table?

    1. She catches the other cat.
    2. She falls off the table.
    3. She breaks the mirror.
    4. She finds a mouse.
  5. What does the cat decide to do at the end of the story?

    1. Look for the strange cat again
    2. Chase mice and enjoy simple things
    3. Sleep all day
    4. Break the mirror
  1. Why did the cat become curious about the mirror on the dressing table?
  2. What did the cat think when she first saw her reflection in the mirror?
  3. How did the cat try to find the "other cat" she saw in the mirror?
  4. What happened when the cat tried to catch the reflection in the mirror?
  5. What did the cat decide to do after she couldn't understand the mystery of the mirror?
  1. What initially caught the cat's attention on the dressing table?
  2. How did the cat react when she first saw her reflection in the mirror?
  3. What did the cat expect to find behind the mirror, and what did she actually find?
  4. Describe the cat's final attempt to understand the reflection and the result of that attempt.
  5. What lesson did the cat learn by the end of the story, and how did it change her behavior?

Reflection Questions

  1. Why was the cat curious about the mirror?
  2. What did the cat do when she saw the reflection in the mirror?
  3. How did the cat feel after trying to catch the reflection and falling off the table?
  4. What lesson did the cat learn about worrying over things she couldn't understand?
  5. Can you think of a time when you decided to focus on simple things rather than worrying about something complicated?

Fable Quotes

"Let your wonder lead the way, but caution in your steps must stay."
"True contentment comes when we stop chasing the illusions and enjoy the realities."
"Not all puzzles are meant to be solved; some are just to teach us."
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