Garruchaneo

This is the story about how a normal cat
becomes an aristocat

As you see, Garruchaneo is elegant and happy. He is now an aristocat, but he was not always noble, rather very sad.

Teresa was skipping down the street when she saw it. “It” was a yellow ball that meowed in pain. She could barely hear the “meow, meow, meow” coming from the yellow ball.

BURNED WITH HOT OIL
The ball was a cat! What had happened to the poor creature? Someone had thrown hot oil over him. He was burned and bruised. There was nothing aristocratic about him. What does aristocrat mean? An aristocrat is someone special, of a noble class, a person (or cat) who stands out among others.

Teresa ran home looking for her father. She needed his help to rescue the cat.
“Daddy, there’s a cat down the street and he is wounded,” she said.

“Cats and cats! There are millions of them,” said her father. “I’m busy, I have things to do. I don’t want to be bothered with a cat!”

Teresa did not let that stop her. She insisted, “Daddy, you have to help the cat. It’s crying.”

TERESA SAVES THE CAT
Finally Teresa’s father accompanied his daughter to see about the cat. He carefully took the little yellow ball in his arms and carried him home. There Teresa took care of the yellow “ball.” The cat gradually improved.

“Garruchaneo!” said Teresa. “You will be called Garruchaneo. You are very special, a noble cat.”

Garruchaneo probably sounds funny to you. It was funny for Teresa, too. Where Teresa lives they speak Spanish, but even in Spanish it’s a funny name. A funny cat has to have a funny name, don’t you think?

Gradually the little yellow cat recovered from the burns and bruises. The wounds healed and he began playing and running around as cats do. He became Teresa’s best friend. They were inseparable.

GARRUCHANEO AND TERESA
Garruchaneo had a long and very useful tail. Teresa’s father told her that the tail is part of the backbone of a cat. A cat’s body is very flexible and the tail helps him keep his balance. Garruchaneo used his tail like a whip. When he fell he twisted and turned so he landed on his feet almost every time. Teresa thought that was so funny.

Garruchaneo had different ways of communicating with Teresa. When he was happy, which he was most of the time, Garruchaneo made a purring sound in his throat. When he was angry or afraid, he hissed and growled; his tail flicked from side to side; he arched his back; and his fur puffed up. When he was being friendly, he raised his tail like a flagpole.

TRANSFORMED
How did Garruchaneo show that he liked Teresa? He bumped her with his head and rubbed his body against her. Then Teresa scratched behind his ears.

When Garruchaneo healed of his wounds, Teresa made him the finest clothes and dressed him like a king – but instead of a crown she gave him a big straw hat. That is how Garruchaneo became known as an aristocat.

CLOTHES OF SALVATION
Did you know that you too are an aristocrat? If you love the Lord Jesus and you have received him as your Savior, the Bible says that you are a child of the King. God has covered you with clothes of salvation. Have you seen a groom in his wedding suit or a bride with her jewels? That’s how beautiful we look when God saves us and forgives us.

When we sin in our heart, we are unclean before God and our works –the things we do– are as filthy rags. But Jesus forgives us and clothes us with garments of salvation.

Just as Teresa dressed Garruchaneo and made him an aristocat, God gives us salvation and accepts us as his sons and daughters. You are a prince or princess!

The Lord makes me very happy…
He has covered me with clothes of salvation.
Isaiah 61:10, NCV

To print the story: Garruchaneo aristocat

To print a picture to color: Garruchaneo to color

To print a puppet: Garruchaneo puppet

I hope you enjoyed the story. There must be some child you can share it with. And really, to be honest, we’re all “children” and love a good story.