The Tiger at Tea

One quiet afternoon, Sophie and her mum were having tea in the kitchen. They heard a knock at the front door. Sophie opened it, and there stood a large, stripy tiger. He asked if he might join them for tea, using a courteous tone. Sophie and Mum invited him in. The tiger was very hungry. He ate all the sandwiches, all the buns and cakes, and every biscuit in the tin. Then he drank the whole teapot of tea. “That was delicious,” he said, before padding out through the front door. When Dad came home from work, there was nothing left for dinner. The family decided to go out to a café instead. On the way, Sophie wondered whether the tiger might visit again. This time, she thought, they would buy plenty of extra food.