One day, Wolf Cub got his furry paws all dirty.
Mother Wolf saw this and said to him:
Sweetie, wash your paws.
I don't want to, they're fine like this.
Wolf Cub replied.
Wolf Cub went for a walk in the forest and saw Little Fox sitting in a clearing, playing with a ball and reciting a rhyme:
"My cheerful bouncing ball,
Where are you bouncing off to?
Yellow, red, and blue,
I can't keep up with you!"
Little Fox, Little Fox, let's play together!
Said Wolf Cub.
Of course, it's more fun with two!
Little Fox was delighted.
But what's this? As soon as Wolf Cub touched the ball, his dirty paws left marks all over it.
No, I won't play with you. Your paws are so dirty that you've messed up my favourite ball.
Said Little Fox.
Wolf Cub walked on until he reached the river, where Turtle was floating a white boat on the surface and reciting a poem:
"Sailor's cap, rope in hand,
I pull my boat along the rushing strand.
Frogs are hopping right behind me,
Asking, "Captain, give us a ride, please!"
Seeing Wolf Cub by the river, Turtle called out to him:
Hey, Wolf Cub, come play with me!
But as soon as little Wolf Cub picked up the white boat, he got it dirty because his paws were filthy. He had to give the boat back to Turtle. Wolf Cub felt sad and trudged home with his head down.
Mummy, nobody wants to play with me. Why?
Wolf Cub said, barely holding back tears.
Come here, little one, I'll tell you all about water and soap, and you'll understand.
And Mother Wolf began her explanation.
Why does water wash away dirt? Maybe it just carries it away, like a river carries a tossed stick? Let's check. Hold your dirty paws under the tap. Did they get clean?
I'm afraid not. That's not how anyone washes. When we wash, we always rub one paw against the other. Why? To scrub off the dirt. Once the dirt is loosened, it's easy for the water to carry it away. But we've forgotten one thing that makes washing dirt much easier. What is it?
Soap!
Wolf Cub answered.
If we washed without soap, we'd always have dirty paws. Soap is dirt's greatest enemy. How does it work? Let's think about it. Which soap cleans better—the kind that makes lots of bubbles or the kind that barely lathers?
Mother Wolf continued.
Probably the one that makes more bubbles.
Wolf Cub replied.
That's right, sweetie. So it's all about the lather! What is lather? Look at it carefully. It's made up of tiny bubbles that shimmer in the sunlight, little air balloons with shells made of water. These bubbles grab and carry away the dirt—the particles stick to the bubbles, and then the lather is easy to rinse off.
So soap bubbles aren't just for fun. They really help paws and faces get clean again.
Now, dear, wash your paws, and then nobody will call you messy and everyone will happily play with you.
Mother Wolf told her son.
Wolf Cub was thrilled:
I get it now! Nobody wants to be friends with someone who's dirty.
And he ran off to wash his furry paws.
Read stories and you'll always know how to be not only clean, but tidy too.
