Welcome to Story Quest, a weekly podcast where we bring your stories to life!
In this episode we bring Anna’s story – Luna the Laughing Cat- to life.
If you have a story idea, you could be like Anna and have it turned into a Story Quest. All you have to do is send us your story idea here. We know you have the best imaginations and together we can create the most brilliant stories!
That’s just what Anna did. You can watch the story they suggested come to life below, plus they tell us all about the inspiration behind the story at the end.
Listen out for brand new Story Quest episodes every Thursday!
Get Story Quest in Your Podcast App
MOBILE: Story Quest - Stories for Kids
Stories for kids and families, perfect for all ages! New episodes every week.
Read along to Luna the Laughing Cat here!
You can read along to the story while you listen. Just follow the text below. Don’t worry if you find a word tricky – you can pause the video whenever to give yourself more time
Luna the Laughing Cat
There was a crackle from the branch – it was breaking and with a wail the old cat tumbled down – just managing to grab another – there was no time to lose! Weâll find out more about that in a bit – but now itâs time to go back to the start of our story today which is all about – well – cats. (You might have worked that out already, right?)
Luna was a little white cat, with a mischievous looking black eye patch. It was quite appropriate as Luna was a bit – well – not naughty, but she loved to play tricks, tell jokes and LAUGH. She was also extremely clever for a cat – so clever that she was⌠well BORED!
âAll we do at kitty kindergarten is play with feathers and string! I want to learn about the world! These dozy mogs are holding me back!â she huffed. She had a pretty high idea of herself as you can tell. Most cats do though donât they? Theyâre all like âLook at Meee!â âArenât I WONDERFUL.. â and âNo you may NOT pet me!â But anyway back to the story.
âWellâ, said her mum kindly, âThere just arenât many cat schools around. I mean thereâs FriskyWhiskers Academy but itâs hard to get in. They only take the best of the best.â
Lunaâs ears pricked up and she smiled smugly. âWell THAT shouldnât be a problem. Iâm probably smarter than the teachers anyway!â and she laughed and laughed at her own wit. I mean it wasnât even a particularly funny thing to say.
âWell, if itâs what you really wantâŚâ
âI WANT to goâ Luna insisted haughtily. She usually got her own way.
Because she was indeed a very clever cat she passed the entrance test and proudly strutted up to the gates on her first day. She was certain that sheâd be top cat by teatime.
Looking up at the dark brick imposing building she very much doubted they had pipe cleaners and feathers to play with, or scratching posts as high as a house like the kindergarten butâŚ. all that stuff was for KITTENS right? She was one of the big cats now.
The door creaked open and she was greeted by the largest Siamese cat sheâd ever seen. This cat obviously liked their kibble.
âYou must be Luna. I am Madam Friskywhiskers and you will address me as such. Or Milady. Or your Majesty!â
Luna smirked. I mean – REALLY? Who did this bossy old moggy think she was?
âAnd absolutely no smirking! Or smiling, or laughing and donât even think about purring in my earshot young kitten! Now come, assembly is about to start!
Luna widened her eyes as she padded behind Madamâs enormous fluffy bottom towards the assembly all – and she couldnât believe what she was seeing! She was astonished to see a row of cats in perfect lines – their fur neatly brushed in centre partings and whiskers stiff and straight, noses high in the air. They may have been all sorts of different cats – tabbies, and calicos, black and white with pedigrees of all sorts from Ragdolls to the tall majestic Maine Coons – but they were as still as statues and identically standing to attention.
Luna sat herself down and lifted one leg over her head to lick at an annoying bit of fur.
âPut your leg down at once! Sit up straight!â barked Madam. (Yes, cats can bark when theyâre angry).
Luna did as she was told and sat through the school song which was basically a load of cats going meow meow meow along to a dirge like song on the organ.
She was beginning to think she might have possibly made a teeny tiny mistake. This place was strict! No smiling or smirking – and no laughing? Surely that wasnât true. Everyone loved to laugh right?
Next lesson was kitty PE. Each cat had to jump onto the top of a wardrobe in one clean move. A very small cat called Waffle wasnât managing very well – heâd get the wardrobe in his sights, wiggle his bottom and âHNNNNGHHHHH!……….. Flop.â Then again. PeerâŚ. Wiggle⌠HNNNNHJHGH!!.. Flop!
Luna couldnât help it – she just couldnât it was too funny! Her whiskers twitched and then she began to laugh and laugh and laugh! The other cats looked ABSOLUTELY horrified, not least Waffle who looked extremely peeved as if he wasnât having a bad enough day.
âNO LAUGHING!â came a booming voice. It was Madam.
She found herself in trouble yet again at break. She had brought sausage rolls to snack upon and finding a large Burmese having a snooze, tip toed up and began to balance the sausage rolls on the reclining catâs head. I mean – that was funny right? She had got up to six sausage rolls before the Burmese twitched and awoke and crossly shook all the sausage rolls to the floor – and Luna just laughed and laughed and laughed. And then she ate her sausage rolls before getting told of for the second time.
The other cats didnât laugh – they looked shocked, and whispered to each other. Luna thought sheâd have had them all rolling about! They were so WEIRD!
Next was a cookery lesson, learning how to make healthy and nutritious cat treats from what looked like bark and glue. Nothing like the cheesy pockets Luna had at home. Then she thought – Hmmm glue. Perfect for a prank!!!
When no one was watching she took a cup of the glue like paste and wiped it all over the teacherâs seat. The teacher, Mrs Mitten was just as grumpy as Madam and so Luna took great pleasure in watching her lower her fluffy butt down onto the chair and yes you got it, they were STUCK!
âWhat on earth have you done Luna!â she exclaimed and Luna couldnât help it – her whiskers twitched and then she giggled and then laughed and laughed and laughed!
She laughed even more when to get the teacher off the seat the scissors had to come out and Mrs Mitten was left with – well lets just say less fur on her behind than sheâd started with. The other cats just looked out the window, Luna thought some of them MIGHT be smirking and trying not to laugh But Luna was in so much trouble. She was called to Madamâs office. Uh oh!
âLuna – We have never had a laughing cat at this school and I donât intend to change this for the likes of YOU! Any more nonsense and you will be sent home in disgrace! EXPELLED! Do you understand?â
Luna was shocked – she hadnât realised that her pranks might get her sent home – back to the boring kindergarten kitties who just basically lounged around and peered hopefully at their feeding bowls. And she DID want to learn⌠so she solemly nodded and slowly padded to the dormitories.
These were just about as miserable as everything else in this place. No fluffy cat bed in the shape of a tomato, no fleeces⌠and as she curled up sadly she realised no friends either. She felt as if instead of the cleverest cat she was the stupidest ball of fur ever, why had she ever wanted to leave home for THIS? I mean at least the kitties at home laughed at her jokes.
If this lot wanted her gone – well maybe she should just give them what they wanted.
She woke before the alarm (which was someone dinging a tin) and tiptoed out of the dormitory whilst the other kitties were stretching out of their slumbers. She was going to run away.
She scampered over the wide gravelly drive (which had a sign saying THIS IS NOT A LITTER TRAY) and out into the woods past the lake⌠there was no one else around. Through the trees in the quiet morning breeze she ran- although it wasnât quiet at all – what was that noise?
MIAOOOW! MIAAOOW! – it was a cat – a scared cat by the sound of it. Luna darted towards the noise and slunk through the brambles to see – none other than MADAM FRISKYWHISKERS stuck up a tree and what was worse is that at the bottom of the tree was a snapping snarling dog with teeth the size of knives!!!
Luna couldnât be seen but she quickly formulated a plan. She might not like the horrible old Moggy whoâd made her miserable but she couldnât let her be hurt.
There was a crackle from the branch Madam was sitting on – it was breaking and with a wail the old cat tumbled down – just managing to grab another in time. But the dog leaped higher and higher and it seemed as if all was lost. There was no time to lose.
Luna yowled and then ran towards the dog bravely. The dog yipped and then turned to growl and began to chase Luna – one cat was as good as another! But Luna didnât run away – she ran in circles. Round and round the tree she went – faster and faster – the daft dog gave chase and darted around – getting dizzier and dizzier and finally staggered, teetered, cross eyedâŚ. And fell into a puddle of mud with a SPLASH! Where he remained, a very dazed dog with all four paws in the air.
Phew! Luna had done it!
âQuick Madam! Itâs safe to come down nowâŚ. Madam? Are you LAUGHING!â
It was true, Madam Friskywhiskers the most strict cat in the country was actually laughing!
âOh goodness me Iâve never seen anything like it – he doesnât look quite as scary now does he!â
Luna began to laugh too and helped Madam down and together they made their way back to the school.
âOh Iâve not had a good laugh in so long – and thank you for rescuing me!â
âI⌠I was going to run away. I thought Iâd never fit in here!â Luna said sadly. Madam looked shocked. âBut youâre one of the brightest cats weâve ever had! We have high hopes for you!â
Luna smiled weakly. She might have thought highly of herself but to hear it from Madam – well just felt better than anything.
They decided to make a deal. Luna would concentrate on her studies and stop playing pranks, and in return Madam would permit the kitties to have a little more fun. Well, only a little.
And if Luna woke up one day to find a pile of sausage rolls on her head, it just went to show that maybe sheâd taught the other cats a few things too!
Add a comment