The Little Cat in the Rain

The rain came down hard that afternoon. Baby Ais pressed her nose to the window, watching the droplets race down the glass.

Then she heard it. A tiny sound. "Meow… meow…" So sad.

Behind the fence, a little cat was soaked through, shivering. Its fur clung to its tiny body. Its round eyes looked up at Baby Ais.

Baby Ais ran to Umi. "Umi! Cat! Wet! Cold!" she said, tugging at Umi's hand.

They opened the door. Baby Ais wanted so badly to scoop the cat up and squeeze it, but Umi held her hand. "Gently, sweetheart. He's scared. We must be soft."

Baby Ais learned. She crouched down, reached out her little hand slowly, and whispered, "Here… here… it's okay."

The little cat sniffed her finger. Then — ever so slowly — it stepped onto the dry porch.

Baby Ais fetched a small towel. Umi poured a little warm milk into a bowl. The cat lapped it up, then purred — a tiny trembling sound, like a toy engine.

"He's saying thank you," said Umi, smiling.

Baby Ais looked at the cat, now warm and full. Her heart felt full too, as full as that bowl of milk. It turned out even little hands could be a shelter for something littler still.

"The merciful are shown mercy by the Most Merciful. Be merciful to those on earth, and the One above the heavens will be merciful to you." (Abu Dawud 4941, Tirmidzi 1924)

The rain still fell outside. But on that little porch was one cat that was cold no longer — because a little girl chose to be kind.