Shadow's Baby
by Margery Cuyler
illustrated by Ellen Weiss
illustrated by Ellen Weiss
Category
📚
LearningTranscript
00:00Shadows Baby, by Marjorie Coyler, illustrated by Ellen Weiss, for Samantha Lasry
00:17Born on August 27, 1985, M.C., to my parents with love, E.W., Mr. and Mrs. Parker were
00:25expecting their first baby.
00:27"'I hope it's a girl,' said Mrs. Parker.
00:30"'I hope it's a boy,' said Mr. Parker.
00:33Shadow the Parker's dog, was sure it would be a puppy.
00:36Shadow wanted the puppy to be happy.
00:38He made it a softbee out of old rags.
00:40He found the puppy some toys, a ball, a rubber ring, and a stick.
00:45He dug up a few bones and put next to the puppy's bed.
00:48One evening, Mrs. Parker said, "'I think the baby's coming.'
00:52She went to the hospital.
00:54Shadow stayed at home.
00:55He waited.
00:56And waited.
00:57And waited.
00:58Finally, after a few days the Parkers came back.
01:01Mr. Parker was carrying a small bundle.
01:04Shadow ran around in circles.
01:06He jumped up and sniffed it.
01:08It didn't smell like a puppy.
01:10Mrs. Parker laid the bundle on the couch.
01:12"'This is our new baby,' she said.
01:14"'Her name is Samantha.'
01:17Shadow looked at Samantha.
01:18His tail drooped.
01:19She wasn't a puppy, she was a little person.
01:22He sniffed her again.
01:24She smelled like sweetgrass.
01:26He licked her hands.
01:27They wiggled like tiny starfish.
01:29He licked her hair.
01:31It was as soft as feathers.
01:33Samantha was small and cuddly.
01:34She was sort of like a puppy.
01:36And she needed Shadow to take care of her.
01:39When Mrs. Parker put the baby to bed, Shadow lay down beneath the crib.
01:43At first, Samantha woke up every few hours.
01:49She cried.
01:50Shadow ran to Mrs. Parker and nudged her with his nose.
01:53"'Time to feed her,' said Mrs. Parker.
01:56"'She's crying because she's hungry.'"
01:58During the next few weeks, Shadow followed Samantha everywhere.
02:02Sometimes, Samantha would grab Shadow's ear.
02:05She'd shake it like a rattle.
02:07Shadow would lean against her and let her pull his ears as much as she wanted.
02:11Shadow let Samantha splash him when she had her bath.
02:15One day, he licked her feet in the tub and she smiled.
02:18After that, she smiled every time she saw Shadow.
02:21When Samantha was six months old, she got her first tooth.
02:25She drooled on Shadow and his fur got wet.
02:28Shadow just sat and let her drool as much as she wanted.
02:31"'All babies drool when they get their teeth,' said Mrs. Parker."
02:35A few months later, Samantha tried to walk.
02:38Shadow let her grab his tail as she took a few steps.
02:41Soon, Samantha could walk by herself.
02:44One day, Samantha said "'shaddy'."
02:47It was her first word and it meant Shadow.
02:50Now that she's learning to talk, it's time to take her to the library, said Mr. Parker.
02:55And also to gym class, said Mrs. Parker.
02:58And maybe to swimming class too, said Mrs. Parker.
03:02From then on, Samantha was gone every morning.
03:05Shadow would watch as Mrs. Parker put her in her car seat.
03:08Then he'd try to jump in the car.
03:10"'No Shadow,' said Mrs. Parker.
03:12"'You have to stay home.'"
03:14She'd shut the door in his face.
03:16Shadow would whine.
03:17His whole body would droop like an old mop as he walked back to the house.
03:21When Samantha came home Shadow would lick her face so hard it almost disappeared.
03:26Sometimes Samantha would push him away.
03:28Wet, she'd say.
03:30One afternoon, a boy named Kadir came to play.
03:33Samantha and Kadir made towers out of blocks.
03:36When Shadow tried to help, the blocks fell down.
03:39"'Bed Shadow,' said Samantha.
03:41She hit him on the nose.
03:43Shadow went to his bed and lay down.
03:45When Mr. Parker called him for dinner he didn't get up.
03:48When Mr. Parker brought him a bowl of water, he didn't drink it.
03:53Samantha went over to Shadow's bed.
03:55She patted his paws.
03:56"'Bye-bye,' she said.
03:58She was going to her grandparents for the weekend.
04:01Shadow wagged his tail once, but he didn't move.
04:04He lay on his bed all weekend.
04:05"'Something's the matter with Shadow,' said Mr. Parker.
04:09He took Shadow to the vet.
04:11But the vet couldn't find anything wrong.
04:13Maybe something's bothering him.
04:15Said Mrs. Parker.
04:16"'I think I know what it is.
04:18I'll be back later.'"
04:20Mrs. Parker was gone a long time.
04:22When she came back, she was carrying a basket.
04:25The basket wiggled.
04:26Mrs. Parker opened it.
04:28And a puppy leaped out.
04:30Shadow needs his own baby.
04:31Said Mrs. Parker.
04:33Shadow jumped up and down like a yo-yo.
04:35He ran over and smelled the puppy.
04:37Its little body was as warm as wool.
04:40Shadow licked its face.
04:41It was as fuzzy as a teddy bear.
04:43"'We'll name him Sam,' said Mrs. Parker."
04:46Shadow had to teach Sam not to chew up Mrs. Parker's running
04:49shoes, or Mr. Parker's tennis balls,
04:52or Samantha's favorite blanket.
04:54He had to teach Sam to come when he was called.
04:57And he had to play with him all day long.
04:59The puppy kept Shadow very busy.
05:01But Shadow was happy.
05:03Now he had two babies.
05:05And so did Samantha.
05:06The end.