ZZZZZZZZ!" was the snore coming between Shaper Dog's lips as he slept in the entryway of his doghouse. Dreams of cats with hats, cats with umbrellas and cats with ice-cream cones danced in his head, while the shadows fell in the late afternoon.

 "Meow!" sounded softly in the dog's ear as cats with balloons danced before his eyes in his dream. Shaper Dog burrowed further into his furry paws as another "meow" tickled the hair in his ear.

 "MEOW!" was uttered so loud the next time in Shaper Dog's ear that he jumped to his feet barking excitedly, as Mickey Cat in front of him laughed and laughed.

 "You should see yourself," laughed the cat. "First, you were all crunched up and now look at you." The cat imitated the dog's actions, as Shaper Dog wiped the sleep from his eyes.

 Shaper Dog had no intention of being made fun of by the cat and chased him down the steps, through the tulips, around the tree, over the marigolds and down the path. The cat turned back for the house as he neared the fence and quickly zipped under the porch steps. Shaper Dog decided to go under there too, and might have made it, but Shaper Dog had eaten too many table scraps, too many dog bones and too many doggie treats. In five seconds Shaper Dog was stuck and no matter how he pulled or tugged he was stuck so securely that he couldn't get in or out.

 "Hoooooowlll," howled Shaper Dog, as he tried to back out, but only succeeded in wedging his ears tighter to his head.

 "Bet you wish you hadn't had those cookies from the children this morning!" teased the cat. "Maybe you could try backing out."

 "I've tried that," moaned Shaper Dog. "I'm wedged in more than ever now."

 "There is only one way you will get out of there that I can think of," suggested the cat.

 "Tell me quick," begged the dog.

 "You will have to have a bath and get covered with soap. You'll slip out then," said the cat.

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 "I hate baths and I hate soap," moaned the dog.

 "You'll have to stay there then," said the cat turning to leave.

 "No, please don't go," moaned the dog pitifully. "If it is the only way, then soap it is."

 Mickey Cat got the garden hose and a big cake of soap from the back porch. Soon Shaper Dog was covered in bubbles and some of those bubbles covered the grass and blew in the air. With one tug, Shaper Dog pulled himself out of the hole and immediately chased the cat around the yard.

 "A lot of thanks I get for my trouble," panted the cat as he dashed through the tulips.

 Winner: Holly Joudrey of Barss Corner received a prize in the mail for sending in the answer.

 Question about the story: Where was the cake of soap?

 Send answers to Storytime, c/o Verna Dunlop, RR#1 Moser River, NS B0J 2K0 or e-mail the answer to the question to vernadunlop@yahoo.com. Prizes will be sent to those sending in the answer.

posted on 01/25/11