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Cats can’t fly … or can they?
Grant Denyer reads Silky the Flying Cat
[Tree rustling noise]
[Wind blowing, door opens]
This book is called Silky the Flying Cat.
If you're like most of our readers, you're probably wondering how Jill's cat Silky became a catnary. Well, it all started one morning when I swung into the kitchen and saw Terry painting a cat. And when I say painting a cat (spray can shaking), I don't mean he was painting a picture of a cat. He was painting an actual cat! Bright yellow!
"Why are you painting that cat bright yellow?" I said.
“Because I'm turning it into a canary”, said Terry.
“You can't turn a cat into a canary just by painting it yellow" I said.
“Yes, you can”, said Terry. “Watch this!”
He carried the painted cat to the edge of the deck, he held it out mid-air and let it go.
“Ohhhhh!”
"Oh no," I said. But I needn't have worried. The cat didn't fall. Two little wings popped out of its back. [Pop pop]
And then it tweeted “Tweet tweet” and started flying. Are you serious! Look at the wings in its back! And there it is! Starting to fly as it leave the deck!
Tweet tweet tweet tweet.
“See!” Said Terry, turning to me in triumph. “I told you so!”
We went to the observation deck and used our telescope to watch the cat fly away. There they are on the deck with the telescope watching the cat in the distance.
As it flew, it past a flying horse. (horse neighing) Flying horse!
A man floating along on a balloon toilet. What did he need to go into the toilet in mid-air for? Check it out! There’s a flying toilet with all the balloons holding it up in the air! Great! Crazy!
It went past an aeroplane.
And look, there’s a couple of passengers in the plane saying, ‘Look mom, there's a flying cat.’!
And then the mum is saying ‘Now don't be silly Vivi!’ Because the mum doesn’t believe her!
Ahh the flying catnary went past a monkey riding a pink flamingo? Flying past a Monkey on a flying pink Flamingo?
An amazed bird, it went past. There’s the bird saying “That’s amazing.” It’s a very amazed bird.
Eventually it came to a nest of 12 other flying cats. You can see them all there in the nest in the tree. He’s found some friends. Cool!
Here’s the friends. There was Fluffy, there was Puffy, there is Purry and there is Blurry. There is Scary, look at Scary’s angry eyebrow, there is Fairy, there is Scratchy and there is Slashy. There is Trashy, look at Trashy it looks like she’s been in a rubbish bin all night, there is Crushy there’s Tinkerbell and Floppy.
And the cat flew down and joined them all. It now had 12 new friends. Yay! I’ve got some friends just like me!
Just then we heard someone calling us.
“Andy, Terry, are you there?”
Uh-oh. Said Terry. That's Jill. She's probably looking for her cat.
"Don't tell me that was Silky you just turned into a canary," I said.
“Okay, I won't” Said Terry. “But it was”
This was bad. Jill loves that cat. She lives in a house full of animals and she loves them all but she especially loves Silky.
"Jill is going to be really mad when she finds out what you've done," I said. “Maybe we shouldn't tell her.” Said Terry.
"Good idea," I said. Let's pretend we're not home.
“It's no use hiding!” called Jill.
“I can hear you and I can see you! Silky's gone missing and I was wondering if you could put this missing cat poster on your tree?”
"Of course," I said. Here’s the cat poster. Look at that. Missing cat. Silky.
It says likes; cat food, cuddles, cats on TV. The poster says dislikes; dogs, water, fleas, locked cat flaps. But there’s a big reward! Call Jill.
As soon as Jill left, I said to Terry, "We've got to find Silky and bring her back."
What I know about that” Said Terry. “That nest looked pretty high”
Hey, stop shaking the tree house.
“I'm not shaking the tree house”, I said, "I thought it was you shaking the tree house."
“It's not me”, Said Terry.
It's that giant gorilla down there. It's shaking the whole tree. Check that out. There’s a gorilla down from the boys, shaking the whole tree!
"But why would a giant gorilla be shaking our tree?" I said. Look at him? He’s really getting into it!
“It probably wants the giant banana”, said Terry. "What giant banana?" I said.
“The one I made last week with the enlarging machine” said Terry.
And there he is! He made the enlarging machine to make the giant
And there he is! With his enlarging machine to make the banana a giant banana!
Oh Terry, he’s always doing that stuff Terry.
"Then give it the giant banana," I said.
“I can't” said Terri, “I ate it”
“BA-NA-NA!“, BA-NA-NA! said the gorilla.
“We don't have any bananas!” I shouted down to it but it was no use. It just kept shaking the tree.
“If only Jill was here”, said Terry. “She'd be able to talk to it.”
"Yes, but unfortunately she's too busy looking for her cat," I said.
Then the giant gorilla started to climb the tree. He’s coming up boys! He’s coming up!
“What are we going to do, Terry?" I said. But Terry, wasn't listening to me. He was looking into the sky.
“Can you hear that?”
He said. "You mean the sound of a giant gorilla climbing the tree?" I said.
No. Said Terry. “The sound of 13 flying cats.”
I looked up, Terry was right. Flying cats, a whole bunch of them. 13 to be exact with Silky in the lead. They were flying in formation, coming in low and fast, like fighter jets. [whoosh!]
The flying cats will save us! Said Terry.
Sure enough, the cats swooped in and began attacking the gorilla, look at that!
The cast swooped (meow meow) and the gorilla swiped [whoosh]. But the gorilla was outnumbered. And despite swiping bravely, it lost its footing. And Fell from the tree (gorilla fallin). And hit the ground with a sickening thud (boom).
But it didn't lie there for long. The cats flew down, and picked it up! Look at that! All the cats have picked up the Gorilla! Ha! In the sky!
And carried it back home to its island far away. Look at that, travelling all the way across the sea to the island. Strong birds. Ha, cats, Cat birds. Catnary!. That's when Jill came back.
“Was that Silky I saw flying away from your tree house with a giant gorilla?”, she said. "Well, yes," I said. But it wasn't my fault. It was Terry's. He painted Silky yellow and turned her into a canary - well, a catnary, I guess - and then she flew away! I'm really, really sorry.”
“A catnary?” said Jill slowly. “Terry turned Silky into a catnary?”
“Yes. And like I said, I tried to stop him -”
“But I'm so glad you didn't”, said Jill. "Huh?" I said. You don't mind?
"Not at all.", said Jill. “In fact, it's fantastic. I've been really wanting to get a canary but I was worried Silky would eat it. Having a flying cat is like having the best of both pets. Thank you, Terry.”
“You’re welcome”, said Terry. “If you like any of your other animals converted, you know where to bring them.”
“Thanks”, said Jill.
I'll definitely think about it. Meanwhile, I'd better get home and put out some bird seed for Silky and her new friends.
The end.
Phew!
I’m glad it worked out and everything was okay and Jill wasn’t mad. That was Silky the Flying Cat. Hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching.
(Upbeat guitar and piano music plays)
Coles Little Treehouse presents Silky The Flying Cat. (Wind blowing, door opens) Written by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton and read by Stig Williams.
(Upbeat music continues)
Hi, I'm Andy. I live in a treehouse with my friend Terry and we make books together. I write the words and he draws the pictures. (music playing)
Hi, I'm Terry. I live in a treehouse with my friend Andy and we make books together. I draw the pictures and he writes the words. (music playing)
Hi, I'm Jill. I live in a house full of animals in the forest near my friends Andy and Terry. I like animals and solving problems and doing puzzles. (music playing)
And I'm Silky. I'm a catnary and I can fly. And I'm Jill's favourite pet. (music ends)
If you're like most of our listeners, you're probably wondering how Jill's cat Silky became a catnary. Well, it all started one morning when I swung into the kitchen (swoosh) and saw Terry painting a cat. (Spray painting sounds)
Numbdy numbdy numb… Meow
And when I say painting a cat (spray can shaking), I don't mean he was painting a picture of a cat. He was painting an actual cat! Bright yellow!
"Why are you painting that cat bright yellow?" I said.
“Because I'm turning it into a canary”, said Terry.
“You can't turn a cat into a canary just by painting it yellow" I said.
“Yes, you can”, said Terry. “Watch this!”
He carried the painted cat to the edge of the deck, (wind blowing) held it out in mid air and let it go.
“Ohhhhh!” (wind blowing)
"Oh no," I said. But I needn't have worried. The cat didn't fall. Two little wings popped out of its back (pop-pop!) And then it tweeted “Tweet tweet” and started flying. (Wings fluttering)
Tweet tweet tweet tweet meow. Tweet tweet tweet. (Wings flapping)
“See!” Said Terry, turning to me in triumph. “I told you so!”
We went to the observation deck and used our telescope to watch the cat fly away. (wings flapping)
Meow tweet tweet tweet meow!
“Wow! I told you she wanted to be a canary.”
As it flew, it passed a flying horse. “Look a flying horse! (horse neighing) Wow!” (horse neighing, flapping)
A man floating along on a balloon toilet (groan, farting noises) “oh dear, oh me. Uh-oh (farting noise) oh dear.”
An aeroplane. (aeroplane flying)
Look mom, there's a flying cat.
Now don't be silly Fifi.
A monkey riding a pink flamingo. (goo-goo, gwark, gwark, bird noises)
An amazed bird. (bird tweeting) “That’s amazing.” (bird tweeting)
Eventually it came to a nest of 12 other flying cats (wings flapping meow, meow, meow, meow).
There was Fluffy (ding) and Puffy (ding) and Purry (ding) and Blurry (ding) and Scary (ding) and Fairy (ding) and Scratchy (ding) and Slashy (ding) and Trashy (ding) and Crashy (ding) and Tinkerbell (twinkle) and Floppy (ding).
And the cat flew down and joined them all. It now had 12 new friends.
Just then we heard someone calling us.
“Andy, Terry, are you there?” (Echoes)
“Uh-oh,” said Terry. “That's Jill. She's probably looking for her cat.”
"Don't tell me that was Silky you just turned into a canary," I said.
“Okay, I won't” Said Terry. “But it was.”
This was bad. Jill loves that cat. She lives in a house full of animals and she loves them all but she especially loves Silky.
“Ahh Silky.”
"Jill is going to be really mad when she finds out what you've done," I said.
“Maybe we shouldn't tell her.” Said Terry.
"Good idea," I said. Let's pretend we're not home. (Dum dee dum dee dum)
“It's no use hiding!” called Jill. (Echoing)
“I can hear you and I can see you! Silky's gone missing and I was wondering if you could put this missing cat poster on your tree?” (Echoes)
"Of course," I said. (Ta-dah)
Missing cat Silky. (Drum roll) She looks like this. Cute little ears, darling whiskers, beautiful green eyes, very soft white fur. Her likes; cat food, cuddles, cats on TV. Dislikes; dogs, water, fleas, locked cat flaps. Big reward! (drum roll ends) Call Jill.
As soon as Jill left, I said to Terry, "We've got to find Silky and bring her back."
“I don’t know about that” Said Terry. “That nest looked pretty high”
(Earthquake sounds) “Hey, stop shaking the treehouse.
“I'm not shaking the treehouse”, I said, "I thought it was you shaking the treehouse."
“It's not me”, Said Terry.
It's that giant gorilla down there. It's shaking the whole tree. (gurgling, tree shaking, gorilla groaning)
"But why would a giant gorilla be shaking our tree?" I said. (gurgling, tree shaking louder, gorilla groaning and beating chest)
“It probably wants the giant banana”, said Terry. "What giant banana?" I said.
The one I made last week with the enlarging machine.
Said Terry. "Then give it the giant banana," I said.
“I can't” said Terry, “I ate it”
(Tree rumbling and shaking) “BA-NA-NA!“, shouted the gorilla.
BA-NA-NA! BA-NA-NA! BA-NA-NA! (tree shaking)
“We don't have any bananas!” I shouted down to it but it was no use. It just kept shaking the tree.
“If only Jill was here”, said Terry. “She'd be able to talk to it.”
"Yes, but unfortunately she's too busy looking for her cat," I said.
(Tree shaking) “Help! Heeelp!”
BA-NA-NA! (giant gorilla stomping)
Then the giant gorilla started to climb the tree. “No! No bananas. Bananas no. No banana, no.” (giant gorilla stomping)
“BA-NA-NA!”(giant gorilla stomping)
“What are we going to do, Terry?" I said. But Terry, wasn't listening to me. He was looking into the sky.
“Can you hear that?” (giant gorilla stomping)
He said. "You mean the sound of a giant gorilla climbing the tree?" I said.
No. Said Terry. “The sound of 13 flying cats.” (aeroplanes faintly in background)
I looked up, Terry was right. Flying cats, all bunch of them. 13 to be exact with Silky in the lead. They were flying in formation, coming in low and fast, like fighter jets. (fighter jets zooming, meow, meeeow, meow!)
“The flying cats will save us!” said Terry.
Sure enough, the cats swooped in and began attacking the gorilla (Aeroplanes engines, meow, meow, swoosh, gorilla groan).
The cast swooped (meow meow) and the gorilla swiped. “Buhhh, buhh!”
But the gorilla was outnumbered. (Fighter jets swooshing) “Arghhh, ughh” (Ground shaking)
And despite swiping bravely, it lost its footing. “Arghh, ahhh, Mama!” (Ground breaking)
Fell from the tree (gorilla falling) And hit the ground with a sickening thud (thud! groan). But it didn't lie there for long. The cats flew down, picked it up and carried it back home to its island far, far away. (birds tweeting, meow, meow, ooh ee, ooh ooh ooh, wings flapping)
That's when Jill came back. “Was that Silky I saw flying away from your tree house with a giant gorilla?”, she said. "Well, yes," I said. But it wasn't my fault. It was Terry's. He painted Silky yellow and turned her into a canary - well, a catnary, I guess - and then she flew away! I'm really, really sorry.”
“A catnary?” said Jill slowly. “Terry turned Silky into a catnary?”
“Yes. And like I said, I tried to stop him.”
“But I'm so glad you didn't”, said Jill. "Huh?" I said. “You don't mind?”
"Not at all.", said Jill. “In fact, it's fantastic. I've been really wanting to get a canary but I was worried Silky would eat it. Having a flying cat is like having the best of both pets. Thank you, Terry.”
“You’re welcome”, said Terry. “If you like any of your other animals converted, you know where to bring them.”
“Thanks”, said Jill.
“I'll definitely think about it. Meanwhile, I'd better get home and put out some bird seed for Silky and her new friends.”
The end.
So that's the true story of the day Silky became a flying cat. Thanks for listening. See you in the Treehouse!
(Door shuts closed, wind blows)
Coles Little Tree House presents Silky the Flying Cat.
Written by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton and read by Stig Weams.
Listen to all 24 at coles.com.au
Published by Macmillan Australia Audio, an imprint of Pan Macmillan Australia, a division of Pan Macmillan Publishers International Limited.
Text copyright Andy Griffiths, 2020. Recording copyright – Macmillan Australia Audio, 2020.
The moral right of the author to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted.
Recorded at Bay Studio, South Melbourne.
"Does Jill really have a cat called Silky?"
