Molly and Babou

By James Mahoney and Marie-Paule Mahoney

A tango between fiction and non-fiction, this story will transport you on a wonderful journey through the hidden world of animals and their strong emotions.
How could Molly and Babou, with seemingly little in common, develop a deep understanding and friendship? Blind in one eye, poor-sighted in the other, Molly, a runt puppy born under the foundations of a tiny wooden house in Jamaica, is sensitive, intelligent, if a little spoilt. Babou, a real black bear, comes by Mollys house, as his world is crumbling around him with the relentless destruction of the New York forest. On the surface, he appears to be slow in thought, yet Molly comes to realize that he is a King in hiding in his often-harsh environment.
Molly and Babou roam the forest together, encountering other animals on the way. Molly decides that no one, including her adopted sisters, Rags and Pupsie, should find out about their friendship. She is devastated when Babou leaves her to go north to hibernate.
What will happen to the strong bond which has grown between the two of them when Babou returns from hibernation in the early spring with a sick, orphaned cub asking for Mollys help?

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Jun 20, 2014
• ISBN: 9781496918529

Book preview

MOLLY and BABOU

James Mahoney and Marie-Paule Mahoney

AuthorHouse™

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Bloomington, IN 47403

www.authorhouse.com

Phone: [phone]

© 2014 James Mahoney and Marie-Paule Mahoney . All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 02/20/2015

ISBN: 978-1-4969-1851-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4969-1852-9 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014910550

Any animals depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

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Contents

Chapter One A Voice in the Forest

Chapter Two Dogs and Deer

Chapter Three Molly’s Birth Place

Chapter Four A Bond of Blood

Chapter Five Of Berries and Foxes

Chapter Six Behind Lace Curtains

Chapter Seven Molly’s Secret

Chapter Eight A King in Hiding

Chapter Nine Pupsie’s Howling

Chapter Ten In Search of Coconuts

Chapter Eleven The Shrinking Forest

Chapter Twelve A Long, Sleepless Night

Chapter Thirteen Sharing Memories and Ideas

Chapter Fourteen Making Dada Understand

Chapter Fifteen Running Out of Time

Chapter Sixteen Emergency Treatment in the Forest

Chapter Seventeen Not Out of the Woods Yet

Chapter Eighteen Listening under the Table

Chapter Nineteen Coco Comes to Life

Chapter Twenty Coco’s Behavior

Chapter Twenty-One Babou’s Decision

Chapter Twenty-Two Into the Twilight

Dedicated to Molly, Rags, and Pupsie, our deeply loved canine friends who enriched our lives in so many ways

Front cover painting and design and paintings pages 3, 31, 37, 41, 56, 97:

Gosha Karpowicz

www.FineArtsandYoga.com

Chapter One

A Voice in the Forest

Molly crossed the wooden bridge over the little stream and entered the forest. She sometimes liked to be alone first thing in the morning, away from Rags and Pupsie, her adopted sisters. It wasn’t that she didn’t love them or care about them. It was more the strain of feeling responsible for them all the time, having to tell them what they must do or could not do. Now she was freeat least for a while.

With her nose to the ground, she zigzagged along the foot-worn trail. She was trying to pick up the scents of animals.

She had not gone far when a distant, gruff voice called out from high up in the dense trees ahead.

Hello! it said.

Who’s there? Molly answered as she came to a sharp halt. Her ears drew back in sudden fear, her body began to tremble, and her heartbeat raced in terror.

She searched the branches against the glare of the bright-blue sky. At first, she could not make out precisely where the voice had come from. Then Molly’s eye picked out an enormous black, hairy mass that seemed to hang from the branches. She wished she could glide through the air and make a beeline for home and the safety of her mama’s embrace. But, paralyzed by fear, she was unable to move.

Who’s there? she repeated.

I am a bear, can’t you see?

I meant, what do you want? Molly said, her voice shaky and her legs wobbly.

To speak with you.

Why?

Because I am lonely, the bear replied, so very lonely.

What is your name? Molly asked as she finally regained control.

My what? he said, sounding a little confused.

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Just as Molly was about to answer him, a shrill voice broke the silence of the forest.

Molly, M-o-l-l-yyyyy … where’s my Mol?

Did you hear that? Molly asked as she pricked up her ears.

Yes, what was it?

That was my mama calling me. I have to go home right away.

But why? the bear said in surprise.

Because she worries if I stay away in the forest too long.

The bear seemed perplexed by this. Please, come back and see me tomorrow, he said.

There was a long silence before Molly gathered the courage to ask the bear, Why?

Because I would like to be your friend.

What a nice thing to say, Molly thought.

I often see you exploring the woods with your two friends and I think, that must be nice to have close friends like that.

They are my stepsisters, Molly replied.

After a pause, she added, "All right, I shall come to visit you tomorrow, if you promise me you will not cross the bridge and step onto our land. You must also promise to stay much further back in the woods. My younger sister, Pupsie, will become very frightened if she finds your scent on our land."

I promise, the bear said.

And stay higher up in the trees, as well, Molly added for good measure.

I will, I will, the bear said resolutely.

Well, you have my word.

As Molly turned to rush back home, a sudden gust of wind swirled the autumn leaves high into the sky. They seemed to chase the flittering little birds. She could not see their magnificent reds and golds, because like all dogs, she saw the world only in black, white, and gray. Besides, she was blind in one eye and poor-sighted in the other. One would never have guessed, watching her run through the