Take 2 of the Ex-purr-iment

Gaya, the cat who wanted to save the earth cont.

Mr. Elm was an old tree. He had been standing in the same spot for many, many years. Indeed if you wanted to know his age all you had to do was ask Mr. Elm to count the rings inside his bark. If Gaya had asked him, he would have told her that he was two hundred and fifty years old.

Now Mr. Elm spoke in a raspy voice.

"Though winter's not so far away
I might not live to see that day.
The grapevine told me he has heard
From geese and crows and other birds
That trees are being cut for space
To feed the mooing, bovine race."

Both Laser and Gaya were surprised. Mr. Elm was going to be cut down? They could not believe it!

"The grapevine's such a social nerd
Can we trust his second-hand word?
I'll ask him once again and see
If it's the same thing he tells me."

Gaya said, and began running towards the vineyard. But Mr. Elm called her back.

"He won't talk except to whine,
He's busy growing grapes for wine.
I'm sure he's right because the bees
Have said the same to other trees."

Gaya came back and stood squarely in front of Mr. Elm and declared,

"Mr. Elm you can't stand there
As though what's being done is fair.
Mr. Elm we've got to fight,
What they are doing is not right."

Mr. Elm smiled a small, tired smile.

"I'm much too old to fight their plan
A tree can't win against a man."

Both Gaya and Laser knew Mr. Elm was correct. They ran up to Mr. Elm and Gaya put her paws around him while Laser wound himself tightly round the trunk.

Gaya began to cry, the big, fat tears wetting her fur.

"How I wish that I were strong
Then I could show them they are wrong
But I'm a cat and very small
I won't be any help at all."

Then Laser spoke,

"I'm just a snake and I can't aid
Your fight against an iron blade.
There must be someone we can ask
To help us in this noble task."

Just then they heard a bell in the distance. Jingle, jangle, then a pause, then the same jingle, jangle again. All three looked at each other. They knew it must be a cow. And in a few minutes they saw a cow walking down the road. Jingle, jangle, went the bell around her neck.