Emmagin was different when you looked at her. Emmagin looked like a donkey, but she had the stripes of a zebra. This was not too surprising, seeing that her mother was Wanda Zebra and her father was Charlie Donkey.

 "I think you are special," said Emmagin's mother after Emmagin had been teased at school. "You are your own person."

 Emmagin didn't like the teasing, but didn't tell her mother about it. Those bullies at school said things like, "Who ever heard of a donkey with stripes?" or  "You are a funny-looking Zebra."

 Many days Emmagin had to turn her head so her classmates wouldn't see her tears. Being made fun of wasn't funny at all.

 Her cousin, Stripes Zebra, loved Emmagin. He tried to get the bullies to stop teasing her and always stood up for her in whatever way he could. After all, Emmagin was his family and even if she looked different, family was family.

 Emmagin's birthday was approaching and getting her the best present would stop some of Emmagin's misery. Stripes decided to come right out and ask her what she would like more than anything in the world. The answer shocked him.

 "I want a magenta bathtub in the shape of a cat," said Emmagin.

 Stripes' jaw dropped to his chin. He had never seen a bathtub shaped like a cat, and didn't know what magenta was.

 "What is magenta?" asked Stripes.

 "It's a colour. It is a beautiful combination of purple-red," said Emmagin.

 "That must be very pretty," said Stripes with unsureness as he hadn't seen that colour before.

 "I will get big fluffy purple towels and purple soap," said Emmagin daydreaming. If it was a magenta bathtub Emmagin wanted, then he would go to the mall to get it.

 When Stripes arrived at the mall, the bathroom fixtures store was full of tubs in yellow, black, red and standard white. Stripes didn't see any in magenta and none in the shape of a cat.

 "May I help you?" asked Virgil Dog, the owner.

 "I want a magenta bathtub shaped like a cat," said Stripes.

 The owner looked over his glasses. "Surely, you are kidding?" he commented.

 "No sir, my cousin Emmagin wants it for her birthday," said Stripes, as if he purchased cat-shaped tubs every day of the week.

 "I don't think there is such a thing. Surely this shiny black one would suffice," said the owner pointing to the model to his right.

 "She doesn't want black, she wants magenta," said Stripes. "You do know that magenta is purple-red."

 "Of course I know what magenta is," said the owner. "I don't have that. Sorry I can't be of help."

 Stripes wanted to give Emmagin the perfect gift, but magenta would be impossible. Suddenly, Stripes had an idea. He rushed to a department store to the paint section. Purchasing a can of magenta spray paint, he rushed back to the bathroom fixture store and purchased a white tub.

 Carrying the tub home on his back, Stripes sprayed the white tub and smiled as it turned a beautiful magenta. Now he had to make it look like a cat. With different paints, Stripes painted a cat on the inside back and its tail coming down the side. When finished he stood back and looked at his work. Would Emmagin like this tub?

 The day of Emmagin's birthday came and Stripes covered Emmagin's eyes and brought her to the tub. When he removed the cover, Emmagin stared at the tub in surprise and then a big smile came on her face.

 "This is the best birthday present ever," she said. "I love my magenta tub with a cat picture inside."

 Stripes was glad to see his cousin so overjoyed with his gift.

 Question about the story: What colour tubs did the store owner have?

 Winners: Brooke and Josh of Hebb-ville Academy were part of a pizza party and received a newly released book for their library.

 Send answers to Storytime, c/o Verna Dunlop, RR#1 Moser River, Nova Scotia BOJ 2KO or e-mail the answer to the question to vernadunlop@yahoo.com. Names will be drawn for prizes.

posted on 09/09/08