Didi Dewdrop likes to wear grey flannel pajamas - the stripy kind - and black slippers on all four feet. She has sparkly green eyes and a very, very long tail.

Every morning, she runs to the window to see if the squirrels are up. This morning, her big green eyes were wider than ever. Her silver tail swished back and forth like a feather duster.

The balcony had turned white, and lacey snowflakes twirled in the air. Didi was so excited that she ran outside in her pajamas.

Then – boom! She tripped over her tail and turned a somersault in the snow.

Didi looked down at her paws and cried. The crying didn’t warm her up, so she sat down to lick her paws.

“WOOF!” barked a big, dark voice.

Didi looked up at the balcony above her head.

“Hi, Didi,” called Chico. A big, chocolate-brown head appeared over the balcony. “You shouldn’t be outside in your pajamas. My family puts a sweater on me when we go outside in winter,” said Chico.

“I’m not cold,” sniffled Didi as she hopped from one foot to the other. “Get your sweater and come outside to play, Chico.”

Chico didn’t really like wet snow on his big feet, but he liked Didi. He was five years old, and Didi was only two. She was too little and too clumsy to be outside by herself.

"OK, Didi. I’ll come down,” he woofed. He ran down the stairs, then stopped when his feet touched the snow. “Brr, I won’t stay out long,” he said.

“Come on,” Didi called. “Let’s go slide in the park!” She sprang into the air like a jack-in-the-box.

Then – boom! Didi stepped on her tail when she landed and toppled over like a house of cards.

She shook herself and frowned at her tail. “Stupid tail! It’s too big for me. I can’t do anything other cats can do because my tail always gets in the way.”

Chico looked down at her with his soft brown eyes and smiled. “I like your tail. You can wrap it around yourself like a scarf. I’d like a scarf today.”

“Well, I’d like a short curly tail, like a piglet,” said Didi. She tried to curl her tail into two loops.

Chico shook his head so hard his little ears flapped from side to side. “Didi, if you had a piggie tail, you wouldn’t be able to walk along the fence. You need a tail like a circus tightrope walker needs a pole.”

“Deer have nice tails shaped like leaves. It looks pretty when they flick their tails up and down,” said Didi. She tried to flick her tail, but it moved up and down slowly, like a fat caterpillar. “Oh, it’s no use!” she cried.

Just then, Rocky the bulldog stomped into the park. “Hey, Chico, give me back my bone!” he growled.

Chico took a step back. He was scared of Rocky, but he wouldn’t run away and leave Didi all alone.

“Stop hiding behind your little girlfriend. Give me back the bone you stole yesterday,” Rocky barked.

“It’s not your bone. I found it first, and my family let me carry it home,” said Chico.”

“OK! You asked for it,” Rocky growled and sprang onto Chico’s neck.

Didi was so terrified that her tail puffed up like a blowfish. She rushed at Rocky, showing a row of teeth as pointy as icicles.

Rocky was so surprised that he fell off Chico and landed belly-up on the ground. Chico stood over him growling. Didi was still puffed up, like someone had brushed her the wrong way. Rocky jumped up and ran away as fast as his short legs would go.

Chico put his big head against Didi’s little head and licked her cheek. “You and your tail were great, Didi. You looked so big and scary. Thank you.”

Didi purred. She curled her tail around her friend saying, “Here, Chico, take my scarf.”