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the second-graders were about to reach for their lunch boxes, Gooney Bird announced, "Here they are!"
    She pointed to the large windows on the side of the classroom. The children all stood up and watched though the windows as a red and white bus pulled up and parked.
    When the door of the bus opened, the orchestra players came out one by one, holding their instruments. They arranged themselves in a semicircle on the lawn, facing the Watertower Elementary School.
    The conductor, holding a baton, stepped to the center and lifted his arms.
    "Too bad he doesn't have long black gloves," Gooney Bird murmured.
    Mrs. Pidgeon opened the windows so that they could hear better. The orchestra began to play a slow, stately melody.
    When it was finished, the conductor bowed. Then he turned to the windows and explained, "That was a sarabande. It's a kind of dance. We'll play it one more time, in honor of Gooney Bird Greene."
    So the orchestra played the short sarabande again, and the children danced around the classroom in a very serious and graceful way.

6.

    "Today," Gooney Bird said on Wednesday, "I am going to tell you about Catman and the cow. Maybe you've noticed that I'm wearing my cat and cow outfit today."
    The students nodded their heads. They had noticed. Gooney Bird was wearing an orange fur jacket. Over her shoulder was slung a purse made from brown and white cowhide.
    "Sometimes storytellers have special outfits that they wear. I think that's fine as long as it doesn't interfere with the story," Gooney Bird continued. "You can buy fake cat whiskers and ears, for example. But I would never wear such a distracting costume."
    "Would you wear a tail?" Beanie asked. "I know somebody who had a cat tail and ears at Halloween."
    "Put on your thinking caps, class," Gooney Bird said. "Think back to when I talked about Catman last week."
    " No tail! " the entire class said, all except Felicia Ann,

    although she looked up from the floor.
    "That's right. Catman has no tail. I would tell about the lawn mower accident and it would be an absolutely true story, but I never use violence in my stories."
    "Oh, good," Keiko said. "Violence makes me cry."
    Gooney Bird smoothed her fur jacket and did her breathing exercises. Deep breath. Let it out. Deep breath. Let it out. "I know a lot of you have been worried about Catman," she began.
    "I certainly have," Mrs. Pidgeon said. "I've been thinking about Catman ever since he flew out of that flying carpet."
    "By the way, Mrs. Pidgeon," Gooney Bird said, "I do want to mention how lovely you look today."
    Mrs. Pidgeon blushed a little. She was still wearing her high-heeled shoes with the buckles, and today she was also wearing a rhinestone butterfly perched in her hair.
    "In fact, the whole class looks quite lovely," Gooney Bird pointed out. She looked around. "Malcolm, would you stand up?"
    Malcolm rose from his seat and held his shoulders back. He was still wearing his polka dot bow tie, and today he had added a plaid belt.
    "Keiko?" Gooney Bird said.
    Keiko giggled and stood. She had a bright green bow in her hair and a long shiny silk scarf wrapped around her neck.
    "Me?" called Chelsea. "Can I stand up?" She did, and the class could see that she was wearing a fringed cowboy vest over her best dress.
    "Me! Me!" Everyone, all but Felicia Ann, was calling out now, but Gooney Bird said, "Later. After the story. I'm ready to begin now."
    She took one more deep breath, let it out, and began.
Beloved Catman Is Consumed by a Cow
    Once upon a time, not long ago, after they had left China, Gooney Bird and Catman found themselves flying through the air on a carpet. The carpet landed in a meadow, near a large brown and white cow who was contentedly eating wildflowers. The flowers were purple loosestrife.
    The carpet unrolled, and Gooney Bird stood up and looked around. She could see, in the distance, her father's car quickly disappearing down the road.
    Beside her, Catman also stood up. He had become very