Pip, Squeak, and Bumble were three little kittens who loved winter more than anything. Not for the snow itself, though that was fun to pounce in, but for mittens! Each kitten had a favorite pair. Pip’s were bright red with little white snowflakes, Squeak’s were striped blue and green, and Bumble’s were a cozy, warm yellow.
One particularly snowy evening, the kittens were playing hide-and-seek in the living room. Snowflakes danced past the window, and the fire crackled merrily in the hearth. Suddenly, a tiny whimper came from under the armchair. It was Old Man Tiber, the oldest cat in the neighborhood, and he looked very sad.
“What’s wrong, Old Man Tiber?” asked Pip, carefully approaching. Old Man Tiber sighed. “I was bringing Mrs. Gable her favorite ball of yarn, but the snow was so deep, and my paws are so cold… I dropped it! And now I can’t find it anywhere.”
The kittens looked at each other. Mrs. Gable was a very kind lady who always left out saucers of milk for them. They knew they had to help. “We’ll find it!” chirped Squeak, but then she looked down at her striped mittens. The snow was very deep, and her paws would get terribly cold without them.
Bumble wiggled his yellow mittens. “I could go, but the snow is so fluffy, I might lose my way.” Pip, looking at his bright red mittens, felt a little selfish. He wanted to play, and he didn’t want his mittens to get wet and dirty.
Then, Old Man Tiber said, “It’s alright, little ones. Don’t worry about me. I’ll just have to manage.” The kittens felt terrible. They realized that keeping their mittens warm and dry wasn’t as important as helping a friend.
“Wait!” cried Pip. “We can all go together!” He had an idea. “Squeak, you have the brightest mittens. You can lead the way! Bumble, your mittens are the warmest, so you can help Old Man Tiber keep his paws from getting too cold. And I… I can look carefully for the yarn!”
So, the four cats ventured out into the snowy garden. Squeak led the way, her striped mittens flashing in the dim light. Bumble walked beside Old Man Tiber, sharing the warmth of his yellow mittens. Pip carefully scanned the snow, his red mittens tucked tightly around his paws.
It wasn’t easy. The snow was deep and drifted in piles. But they worked together, calling out and searching patiently. Finally, Pip spotted a flash of purple under a snow-covered bush. “I found it!” he shouted.
Old Man Tiber’s face lit up. “Wonderful! You are very kind kittens.” He carefully picked up the ball of yarn and thanked them again and again. They all walked back to the house, feeling warm and happy inside, even though their mittens were a little damp.
Mrs. Gable was so grateful when Old Man Tiber delivered her yarn. She gave each kitten a special treat – a tiny fish-shaped cookie! As they snuggled up by the fire, Pip, Squeak, and Bumble realized that sharing and helping others felt much warmer and cozier than keeping their mittens perfectly dry. They knew that even the best mittens couldn’t compare to the joy of being kind.