The Kitty Cat Cried (glossy cover): A Somali Tale

If you ask most people, they know that Dog is Man’s best friend. But, who is Woman’s best friend? Why, that is Cat. You may not have known that. And, this story explains how all of that came about. I wish I could tell you that I gathered this tale while I was painting one of my murals in Somalia. Although one time I interviewed for a teaching job in Mogadishu, the capital city, the closest I’ve been to Somalia is its neighbor to the west, Ethiopia. I collected this story when I compiled Once Upon East Africa. The original tale had about a dozen lines. I enjoyed expanding the story and setting it to rhyme. After that effort, I just felt that the tale deserved its own book. Now, I know that most children’s stories tend to end ＂happily ever after＂. This tale also has a really happy ending, if you are a cat-lover. But, some really bad things happened to our poor kitty along the way. When stories have situations like that, it opens up a possibility for healthy conversation. And, that’s not a bad thing since not everything in life is ＂happily ever after＂. This is also the first of my children’s books to have a recipe included. I wish I had thought of that sooner, but I am glad the idea finally came my way. Macaan! (Delicious in Somali.)