Mario and Chita [short story]

Media

Part of The Young Citizen: The Magazine for Young People

Title: Mario and Chita [short story]
Creator: Guarin, Gervacia
Language: English
Year: 1939
Subject: Short stories, Philippine (English); Philippine fiction (English)
Rights
Abstract: Mario cares a lot for his pet dog Chita. And he always obey what his teacher and mother taught him, to practice kindness to friends and companions.
Fulltext: , . THE YOUNG CITIZEN 49 A LITTLE STORY FOR LITTLE PEOPLE Mario and Chita By GERVACIA GUARIN* MARIO anci Chita· are the best of friends. They live in a house near the school. They like each other ·very much, and play together under the trees and in the garden. · Chita is much younger than Mario: Mario does many things for Chi ta. He sees to it that she is not hurt, that she has a good bed .at night, that she gets good food, and that she is kept clean. Mario does not forget what the teacher tells in class about the way to treat friends and companions. Before Mario goes to school in the morning, he says, "Chita, I am going to school now. Stay in the house. D'o not play in the street. If you do, you might be run over hy an auto. I will get you something to eat when I come home. Goodbye." Chita does not say anyt~ing, but she always obeys what Mario tells her to do. ~<'her, ~rayat ·Elementary School, Al'ayat, P3mpanga. When Mario comes home from school, Chita feels .happy. She meets him at the $tairs, and shows how happy she is. Then Mario says, "Here is your dinner, Chita." He watches her while Rhe eatf.; her food. Then he asks . ' "What did you do while I was away? With whom did you play? Did you have a bath?" Chita just looks at Mario I in answer. One day Mario and Chita were playing. hap~ pily under a big acacia tree. A classmate said, "Mario, why do you do so much for Chi ta? You are too good to her." Mario a n s w e r e d, "Don't y o u remember our lesson · yesterday? D o n ' t you remember what our teacher taught us about kindness to friends and companions? I always try to do those thin~s. Besides, Mother tells me the same things about kindness. She tells me to be kind to Chita, ior Mother, too, likes my pet dog Chita.