The Spotted Jaguar

One day, while returning home from school and walking down a deserted street, Flavio saw a small jaguar cub.

	- My God! - he thought - Where did this cute little jaguar come from? And he began to watch her.
He kept his distance for fear that she would attack him, but the jaguar tilted her head, meowing like a kitten, and Flavio felt sorry for that little animal that must had been hungry for she was looking for something to eat on the ground.

Flavio remembered that he had not eaten all his lunch at recess because he was not really hungry. He opened his backpack and took out what was left of his sandwich, placing it on the grass. The jaguar, smelling the food, came to pick it up. She smelled it, then devoured it in an instant.

Flavio kneeled down and watched the little animal. Then, thinking that she should be thirsty, he grabbed the cup from his lunchbox and went to a tap to fill it with water. He placed the full cup on the ground and walked back a couple of two steps, sitting on the roots of a tree so that the jaguar would not afraid to come and drink the water.

The animal drank it all and then laid down quietly watching her friend Flavio. She seemed so serene that the boy beckoned to her and she came to sit next to him.

Flavio, now without fear, touched her beautiful hair and petted her. It did not take too long before the jaguar was on his lap, as if it were a regular little animal. Happy, Flavio hugged her and decided to take her home. After all, she was so nice! ...

When he got home, he showed his mother the little animal he had brought. His mother was terrified!

- But it's a jaguar's cub, honey! Surely its owner must be looking for it!

- But, Mom, she's so sweet! So loving! So nice! - and disconsolate, Flavio began to cry.

- But this animal is not yours, Flavio! It must belong to a circus! Do you know if there is a circus in town? Go downtown and find out if a circus has arrived.

Flavio, his eyes filled with tears, went out to enquire as his mother had asked him. He searched and found. There was a beautifully coloured circus with many animals. He returned home to tell his mother of his discovery.

- So, darling, do you see how this animal indeed has an owner? It sure belongs to the circus!... Now go and return it! It's your duty!...

Heartbroken, Flavio picked up the cub and went back to the circus, looking for her owner and returning the cub to him when he was found. The man thanked him with a beautiful smile, saying that her mother had been very sad, and then offered:

- Do you want to meet her? Come with me! - and he took Flavio to see the great jaguar, the mother of the cub, who had been very sad for losing her baby.

- Could you see how depressed she was? Look at her joy now that her daughter has returned!

- That’s true! - Flavio agreed, watching the jaguar rise to greet the cub that had come back, then happily licking her baby.

The owner of the circus hugged him and invited him to come and watch the show they would have that evening, stating that he could bring his whole family. Flavio joyfully accepted and went back home.

Later that evening, he and his family attended the circus’ performance, and were greeted with joy by the owner of the circus, Gideon. They settled in and waited for the start of the event.

Everything for them was new! The big tent was full and there were no more vacant seats. When the show began, Gideon, dressed in special clothes, presented his artists, his animals and then told the story of Spotted Jaguar:

The little Spotted Jaguar, who had escaped from the circus and was found by Flavio, a boy who was going back home from school, was there on his lap, and thanked Flavio for taking care of her and for returning her to the Circus.

Gideon called Flavio, who walked up to the middle of the ring, and introduced him to the sold out room and then, hugging him with affection, thanked him for having returned his Spotted Jaguar.

Everyone present clapped their hands!

And that evening, after the show, Flavio and his family returned home very happy. When they arrived home, after the journey in which they only commented on the presentation of the artists and animals, Flavio said:

- Mom, thank you for talking me into taking the jaguar back to the circus. Now I see how important it is to do what is right. Thank you, mom! I will never think of keeping anything that belongs to someone else.

And they embraced, happy and fulfilled. A few days later, Flavio went over to say goodbye to his friend, the Spotted Jaguar, who jumped happily on his lap and licked his face. 

                     MEIMEI