This is NOT TRUE, but it's always been one of my favorites. Sorry it's so long. **********************************************************

Daisy and Robin lived with their mother and younger brother in a house by the woods. They often liked to go walking and looking for wildflowers when they had finished their chores. One day, they came upon a clearing where a wagon had parked. A girl about their age sat near the wagon, beating on a small drum.

Daisy and Robin approached her and listened for a little while. As they watched, a pair of tiny dolls came out of the drum and began to dance. They had never seen such a wonderful toy and begged the strange girl to give it to them.

The girl said they would have to do something to earn it. They said they would do anything for such a beautiful drum and dancing dolls. The girl thought a minute and said, "When you go home tonight, I want you to be bad. If you are bad enough, I will give you the drum."

Daisy and Robin ran home. That night they threw food, refused to wash the dishes, and would not go to bed when their mother told them. Finally, exasperated, she told them, "If you don't behave, I'm going to take your brother and leave, and find you a new mother with a long tail and eyes like a cat's."

Daisy and Robin didn't like the sound of that but they wouldn't have to misbehave again. But, when they told the strange girl what they had done, she shook her head, "No, you have to be worse than that. I can't give you the drum just for spilling your food."

So the two went home and drew on the walls with crayons. They spanked their little brother. They threw paint on the dog and tracked mud on the floor. Their mother began to yell, "I don't know what's come over you but if you don't behave, I swear I'll leave, and you'll have a new mother with a long tail and cat's eyes."

Daisy and Robin apologized. But when they told the girl of their crimes, she again refused, "You get one more chance."

Daisy and Robin were worried, because they didn't want their mother to leave, but it was only one more time. They let the pigs out and chased them away. They tore their clothes. They broke all the dishes. They dumped all the food in the pantry onto the kitchen floor.

When their mother saw it, she was furious. She screamed, she yelled, "Stop it! I can't stand it! I meant what I said!"

They promised they would never misbehave again. But when they went back to find the girl, the wagon was gone, and so were she and the wonderful drum. Sadly, and frightened, the two girls went home.

When they got there, the house was dark and there was no sign of their mother or brother. "They've gone to town," said Daisy, "Let's go for a walk, and they'll be home when we get back."

They walked for a long time in the woods, thinking about the terrible things they had done and the girl's betrayal and the loss of the wonderful drum. Finally, it began to get dark and the girls were cold and hungry. They started home.

When they got there, there was a light on in the kitchen, but when they looked in the window, it was not their mother. It was their new mother, her cat's eyes sparkling and her long tail thumping on the floor.