LITTLE LOST COWBOYS AND THEIR MAMAS

Since Mothers Day was just yesterday, the subject of mamas and their children is still on most of our minds. Little Miss Merry and I just read a sweet book on that subject and she wanted to tell you all about it.

"The book is called THE LITTLE LOST COWBOY. The little coyote says 'Arooo --- I'm lost and I'm lonely' and the next page, the moon says 'follow the stars, they know where to go' and so the little coyoto started off. He was still walking when BUMP! He bumped into a cactus. He said 'Arooo --- I'm lost and I'm lonely' and pulled the stuff off of his nose."

The coyote is the little cowboy, right?

"Right. And then a snake met the little cowboy. He said, 'if I were lost, I'd follow your nose. Your nose always knows the way.' So the little coyote started it. And soon SPLASH! The little coyote had fallen in the river and he got wet. He said 'Arooo --- I'm lost and I'm lonely and I'm wet'. And then he met a bird and the bird said 'I would follow the river'. And so he followed the river and then down he fell into a deep dark hole in the ground. And then he said 'Arooo --- I'm lost and I'm lonely and I'm down in a dark hole'. And then a frog said 'ask me' and he said 'no, I asked the moon and the moon brought me into a cactus. I followed a snake and fell into the river and got wet. I followed a bird and fell in here. So I say NO!' And besides, he was a little angry. So at last, he said 'okay'. So the toad said 'I would howl as loud as you could.' So he did. He went 'Arooo --- I'm lost and I'm lonely' and then his mother found him. And then he said 'Mother, I'm glad that you found me.' 'I found you by listening with my ears', said the mom. So the little coyote told his mom 'I followed the moon and I pricked myself into a cactus. And then I followed a snake and fell into the river. And then I followed a bird and fell into the hole. So that's why I howled. And then you came mommy. I'm glad that you found me mommy.' 'Now follow me', said the mom, 'I know the way.' So he followed his mommy that way. And then they sang a song, 'Arooooo!'"

"Okay, that's the whole book."

Merry, does that kind of thing ever happen to you?

"Yes. It happens to everyone."

And who will help you when you are lost and lonesome?

"I will yell loud and someone will eventually find me. And that's what I would do."

Do you think the coyote's mommy was a good mommy?

"Yes, I think the coyotes mommy was a good mommy. All mommys are good mommys."

Hmmm...I hope that she always feels that way. I pray I'll always be the good mommy she believes me to now that she is six years old.

LITTLE LOST COWBOY is written by Simon Puttock and illustrated by Caroline Jayne Church.