Curious Cow And The Leopard

“Sweetheart, stay far, far away from the fence,” Mama Cow told her little calf very carefully. The little cow nodded her head. She was a good listener and always did what her mama said.

One sunny day, the little cow was munching on yummy green grass in the big, open field. She looked up and saw something shiny twinkling near the fence! It went “blink, blink!” and caught her eye.

“Ooh, what’s that?” the little cow wondered. Her nose started to wiggle with curiosity. “I saw something sparkly! I just HAVE to see what it is!”

Suddenly, she forgot all about Mama Cow’s important words: “Never go near the fence.” Her little legs started to walk, slowly at first, then a little faster, right towards the shiny, blinky thing by the fence.

The cow saw a leopard hiding near the fence to catch the cows who come near the fence. The leopard jumped at the cow. Lucky, she was, the leopard couldn’t make it. The frightened cow ran towards her mother.

The frightened little cow ran as fast as her little legs could carry her, her heart thumping like a drum against her ribs. She didn’t look back, just kept running towards the familiar, comforting shape of her mother in the distance.

Tears welled up in her big, brown eyes as she finally reached Mama Cow, who looked up with a start, her chewing stopping mid-munch. “Hey, little one, what’s the matter? Why are you crying?” Mama Cow asked, her voice full of concern as she nuzzled her calf gently.

The little cow was panting, her breath coming in shaky gasps. “Mama… the… the fence…” she stammered, trying to catch her breath.

“The fence? What happened at the fence?” Mama Cow asked, her eyes narrowing with worry.

“A… a big… spotty cat!” the little cow finally managed to say, her voice still trembling. “He was hiding! He tried to… to jump on me!”

Mama Cow’s eyes widened in alarm. “A leopard! Near the fence? Oh, my dear little one!” She licked her calf’s head reassuringly. “Are you hurt? Did he touch you?”

The little cow shook her head, still sniffling. “No, Mama. I… I ran away really fast! He… he missed.”

Mama Cow let out a long, shaky breath. “Thank goodness! You were very lucky, my brave little one.” She pulled her calf close with her big head. “That’s why I told you to stay far, far away from the fence. It’s a dangerous place. Leopards like to hide there, waiting for anyone who gets too close.”

The little cow leaned into her mother’s warm side, feeling safe and loved. “I forgot, Mama,” she whispered, her voice still a little shaky. “I saw something shiny… it was blinking…”

Mama Cow sighed. “Shiny things can be tempting, my sweet pea, but nothing is more important than being safe. You must always remember my warning about the fence. Leopards are very fast, and they have sharp claws and teeth.”

She looked down at her little calf with gentle but firm eyes. “From now on, you must promise me that you will always stay here in the open meadow, where I can see you. No more going near the fence, no matter how shiny or blinky something looks. Do you understand?”

The little cow nodded her head quickly, her eyes wide with the memory of the big, spotty cat. “Yes, Mama. I promise. I’ll never go near the fence again.”

Mama Cow nuzzled her again, her heart full of relief. “That’s my good little cow. Now, let’s stay here together and eat some more yummy grass, far away from any sneaky leopards.” And the little cow, feeling safe in her mother’s care, finally started to feel her fear fade away, replaced by the important lesson she had learned that day. The shiny, blinky thing by the fence wasn’t worth the danger. Her mama’s words were right, and she would never forget them again.