Morris in the Apple Tree. Vivian French

      MORRIS

      IN THE

      APPLE TREE

       Vivian French

       Illustrations by Olivia Villet

       Dedication

       For Clyde, the real Morris and for Pete – two really cool cats

      Contents

       Cover

       Title Page

Dedication

Chapter One

       Chapter Two

       Chapter Three

       Chapter Four

       Chapter Five

       Copyright

       About the Publisher

       Chapter One

      Morris was ginger and white, and very fat.

      He was sitting in the sunshine and wondering if it was time for dinner.

      “I’m sure it must be,” he said to himself. “I’m very hungry.”

      He went inside to see if dinner was ready.

      “GO AWAY,” said his mother. “You’ve only just had breakfast.”

      “Oh,” said Morris. He went back to sit in the sunshine.

      Morris cleaned his paws. Then he cleaned his whiskers. Then he cleaned his tummy.

      “There,” he said to himself. “It must be time for dinner now.” He went inside to see.

      “GO AWAY,” said his big sister Rose. “You’ve only just had breakfast.”

      “But I’ve cleaned my paws,” said Morris. “AND my whiskers. AND my tummy. And I’m hungry.”

      “GO AWAY!” said his mother and Rose together.

      Morris went.

      Morris walked all the way down to the bottom of the garden.

      “It’s not fair,” he I said to himself. “I keep myself all clean and tidy and they won’t give me any dinner.”

      He went to sit under the fence with his back to the house.

      “It’s just not fair,” he said. He closed his eyes and sulked.

      “GRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!” There was a loud and terrible growl, and a large dog hurled itself at the fence from the other side.

      “MEEEEEOW!” Morris leaped in the air.

      “GRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!” The dog jumped up and down. Morris dashed for the nearest tree. He scrambled up it faster than he had ever scrambled anywhere.

      Up and up he went, and out along a branch. At the very end of the branch he stopped.

      “WOOF! Keep off my fence!” said the dog, and it strolled away.

      Rose and her mother heard the dog barking.

      “What’s going on?” asked Rose.

      “Perhaps you’d better go and see,” said her mother.

      Rose found Morris sitting in the apple tree. His fur was fluffed up all over. It made him look even fatter than usual.