Trevor was a tiger living in the jungle green,

with claws and fangs - a tiger through and through,

but no one knew that Trevor had a throw-back pussy gene,

that's why his very best friend was a Gnu.

His favorite game was butterflies, he'd chase them all the day,

they'd stay just out of reach on fluttered wing,

and he and Gnu had lots of funny games that they would play,

'cause Trevor had a lovely ball of string.

He'd keep the other cats awake by purring really loud,

and sleep in every day till half past one,

the rest would come back from the hunt with victims dragging, proud,

and find him dozing in the noonday sun.

The King of beasts commanded him to join them in the hunt,

and all cats must obey the Royal word,

they pushed him to the fore and made him stalk the prey out front,

but Trevor sneezed and stampeded the herd.

That night the pride went hungry, and they grumbled at the cause,

they wanted tiger tummies that were full,

but Trevor slept and dreamed of milk, quite unaware of flaws,

except for one strange hankering for wool.

The next day at a meeting, several panthers called it rude:

to let a pussy live amongst the pride,

they moved a motion calling him to hunt with them for food,

or go and live alone, somewhere outside.

That's when a hunter stood up from the hide where he had been,

he lifted up a very deadly gun,

this was the most big cats in one place he had ever seen,

and then he saw the King - the biggest one!

He slowly took his aim and took a deep breath for to shoot,

this trophy would bring fabulous renown,

'twas then he heard a purring, felt a rubbing on his boot,

his trigger finger stopped and he looked down.

A stripy pussy cat was on its back and lying there,

the hunter knelt and rubbed its tummy fur,

the other cats all disappeared, the clearing now quite bare,

except the hunter, Trevor, and his purr.

Well, Trevor was a hero, now a part of history,

as every other cat owed him a debt,

they had a second meeting and all heard the King's decree:

From now on Trevor Tiger was their PET!

more of my CHILDREN"S POEMS