# The Birthday That Went Wrong

An episode of [Animal Tales: The Kids' Story Podcast](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1644596989), 17 Nov 2025, 18 min.

Audio: https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68462319/at444_thebirthdaythatwentwrong_mixdown.mp3

It's Ted's Grandma's 80th birthday, and Ted's determined to help make it special. But not everything is going to plan. Written especially for this podcast by Alice. If you enjoyed this story, please do leave us a review. And, if you'd like to suggest an animal for a future Animal Tales story, you can do so by emailing podcast@animaltales.uk. We would love to hear from you. Animal Tales Books! Collections of Animal Tales children’s stories are available to buy exclusively at Amazon. Simply search for Animal Tales Short Stories or follow this link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CLJQZ9C9?binding=paperback&ref=dbs_dp_sirpi Become a PREMIUM Subscriber You can now enjoy Animal Tales by becoming a Premium Subscriber. This gets you: • All episodes in our catalogue advert free • Bonus Premium-only episodes (one per week) which will never be used on the main podcast • We guarantee to use one of your animal suggestions in a story You can sign up through Apple Podcasts or through Supercast and there are both monthly and yearly plans available. Discover a brand new story every Monday, Wednesday and Friday – just for you! You can find more Animal Tales at www.animaltales.uk A Note About The Adverts In order to allow us to make these stories we offer a premium subscription and run adverts. The adverts are not chosen by us, but played automatically depending on the platform you listen through (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc) and the country you live in. The adverts may even be different if you listen to the story twice. We have had a handful of instances where an advert has played that is not suitable for a family audience, despite the podcast clearly being labelled for children. If you’re concerned about an advert you hear, please contact the platform you are listening to directly. Spotify, in particular, has proven problematic in the past, for both inappropriate adverts and the volume at which the adverts play. If you find this happening, please let Spotify know via their Facebook customer care page. As creators, we want your child’s experience to be a pleasurable one. Running adverts is necessary to allow us to operate, but please do consider the premium subscription service as an alternative – it’s advert free.

## Transcript

[0:00] Speaker 1: Hey Yale, Hello everyone, and welcome to the Animal Tales podcast,
[0:18] Speaker 1: where you suggest the animal for us to write a
[0:21] Speaker 1: story about. My name's Josephine and I've got a brand
[0:24] Speaker 1: new animal story here just for you. There are over
[0:29] Speaker 1: four hundred animal tales now and all are available on
[0:32] Speaker 1: our premium service, alongside over seventy premium only stories for
[0:38] Speaker 1: a tiny fee. They are all advert free. Ted is
[0:43] Speaker 1: a Premium member from Northern Ireland and he would like
[0:46] Speaker 1: a story with a Caracal and a Serval. You can
[0:50] Speaker 1: learn more about these cats in the Animal facts after
[0:53] Speaker 1: the story. Now, settle back, relax, and I'll begin the
[1:00] Speaker 1: birthday that went wrong for Caracal's birthdays are a huge event.
[1:09] Speaker 1: These large cats love a big party with tons of food,
[1:14] Speaker 1: drinks and decorations, with every one they know being invited,
[1:19] Speaker 1: and the older they get, the bigger. The party to
[1:24] Speaker 1: day was Ted's grandma's eightieth birthday, which meant there was
[1:28] Speaker 1: a lot to do. No, no, we need more sandwich
[1:33] Speaker 1: platters than that. Ted's mum said, rushing around the kitchen.
[1:38] Speaker 1: Those balloons need to be bigger. Oh where did I
[1:42] Speaker 1: put the cutlery? It was all such a rush because
[1:46] Speaker 1: they would soon be heading down to the venue to
[1:48] Speaker 1: set up. Ted, seeing his mum growing agitated, took her
[1:53] Speaker 1: by the paws and led her to one side. Ma'am,
[1:59] Speaker 1: you're so worked up that your ears are twitching, he said, kindly,
[2:04] Speaker 1: let me help. His mum took a deep breath and nodded.
[2:10] Speaker 1: You're right, She said, I just want this to be perfect.
[2:15] Speaker 1: Grandma does so much for us all. After all. She
[2:19] Speaker 1: picked up the list she'd made to keep track of
[2:21] Speaker 1: what needed doing. There are still a few things that
[2:25] Speaker 1: need collecting. If you can take care of those, then
[2:28] Speaker 1: I can focus on setting up the venue. Ted saluted
[2:33] Speaker 1: like a soldier, ready to take on the tasks, then
[2:37] Speaker 1: took the list. He was more than happy to help out.
[2:42] Speaker 1: After all, his grandma deserved to be celebrated. He wanted
[2:46] Speaker 1: her party to be perfect. Leave it to me, said Ted,
[2:52] Speaker 1: I won't let you down. The doorbell chimed, so Ted's
[2:57] Speaker 1: mum went to answer it, leaving Ted to look at
[3:00] Speaker 1: the list. There were only a handful of things left
[3:04] Speaker 1: to do. Ted, it's for you, called his mum. It's Liam.
[3:11] Speaker 1: Liam was Ted's best friend. He was a servial, a
[3:15] Speaker 1: cat very similar to Ted. What's going on, Liam asked
[3:20] Speaker 1: as Ted came to the door, what's with all the
[3:23] Speaker 1: boxes and food Grandma's birthday party? Grinned Ted, waving the list.
[3:31] Speaker 1: I can't really play right now. I've got jobs to do.
[3:36] Speaker 1: I could help if you like, said the servial. What's
[3:40] Speaker 1: first on the list? Big birthday balloons? Ted replied. All
[3:46] Speaker 1: the little ones are sorted, but there are two enormous
[3:49] Speaker 1: helium field ones that need collecting, an eight and a zero.
[3:55] Speaker 1: We could carry one each, suggested Liam, as they headed
[3:59] Speaker 1: off to the party store. This was a place called
[4:04] Speaker 1: Party Planet, and it was where they'd got most of
[4:07] Speaker 1: their decorations from. They'd been in so often over the
[4:12] Speaker 1: last week that Ted had got to know the owner
[4:15] Speaker 1: quite well. But when he and Liam arrived, they found
[4:19] Speaker 1: some one different behind the counter, a bored looking teenaged Hyaena.
[4:26] Speaker 1: Welcome to party Planet, where every day's a party, said
[4:30] Speaker 1: the Hyaena. We're here to pick up some balloons, Ted
[4:35] Speaker 1: said cheerfully. They were ordered in the name of Caracal.
[4:40] Speaker 1: The Hyaena grunted, then shuffled off towards the back room
[4:44] Speaker 1: without another word. She returned a moment later with two
[4:49] Speaker 1: large helium field balloons in the shape of numbers. Here
[4:54] Speaker 1: you go, she said, handing them over. This is an
[4:59] Speaker 1: eight and a one. Ted groaned, we ordered an eight
[5:03] Speaker 1: and a zero, Oh, said the Hyaena. Sorry, can't you
[5:09] Speaker 1: use this instead? Not until next year, pointed out Ted.
[5:15] Speaker 1: Can we have our zero instead? Sorry, that was the
[5:20] Speaker 1: last of our helium. The Hyaena shrugged. We won't be
[5:25] Speaker 1: able to fill any more balloons until next Saturday. Ted
[5:30] Speaker 1: felt his paws begin to tremble. He told his mum
[5:34] Speaker 1: that he wouldn't let her down. What was he going
[5:37] Speaker 1: to do? Maybe these will have to do. Liam suggested,
[5:43] Speaker 1: we'll swap your grandma will have to be eighty one
[5:47] Speaker 1: this year and then eighty next year. Ted didn't have
[5:51] Speaker 1: a better idea, so begrudgingly, they took a balloon string
[5:56] Speaker 1: each and left. It's not a good start, Ted groaned, Hey,
[6:03] Speaker 1: don't worry, Liam insisted. Let's just look at what's next
[6:08] Speaker 1: on the list. Collect grandma's birthday cake, Ted read out
[6:14] Speaker 1: from the bakery. This brightened Ted's mood instantly. His mum
[6:20] Speaker 1: had ordered it over the phone a few days ago.
[6:23] Speaker 1: It's Grandma's favorite, Ted explained, milk chocolate with raspberries on top.
[6:31] Speaker 1: But when they arrived at the bakery, they found it
[6:34] Speaker 1: in a mess. A white covering of flower covered the walls.
[6:39] Speaker 1: There were pies splattered on the ceiling, and they could
[6:42] Speaker 1: smell smoke. Welcome to Beaver's Bakes, said a white beaver
[6:48] Speaker 1: from behind the counter. Like the walls, she too was
[6:53] Speaker 1: covered in flour. How may I help you today? Um,
[6:59] Speaker 1: we're here to a cake, Ted said. Despite the mess,
[7:04] Speaker 1: the beaver didn't seem terribly bothered. My mum ordered it
[7:08] Speaker 1: under the name caracal Oh. Of course, said the beaver,
[7:14] Speaker 1: with a wide grin. She headed out back, stepping around
[7:18] Speaker 1: a jamspillage, to return a moment later with a large box.
[7:24] Speaker 1: Here we go, she said, setting it down on the
[7:27] Speaker 1: counter and lifting the lid. One lemon cake with white
[7:32] Speaker 1: chocolate frosting. No, no, said Ted, It's supposed to be
[7:38] Speaker 1: a milk chocolate cake with raspberries. The beaver started blinking rapidly,
[7:45] Speaker 1: tears welling up in her eyes. I can't get anything right,
[7:50] Speaker 1: she sniffed. Everything's gone wrong. I only opened on Monday
[7:56] Speaker 1: and it's been one disaster after another. Baby, I don't
[8:00] Speaker 1: deserve to run a bakery. Don't be like that, Liam
[8:06] Speaker 1: said gently. Everyone has teething trouble. When they try something new,
[8:11] Speaker 1: you'll get the hang of it. Just you wait and see.
[8:14] Speaker 1: Don't let it get you down. I'm sure the lemon
[8:17] Speaker 1: cake will be just fine, won't it. Ted Ted looked
[8:22] Speaker 1: horrified at the thought of coming away without his grandma's
[8:25] Speaker 1: favorite cake, but he could see how hard Liam was
[8:29] Speaker 1: working to cheer up the beaver. Well, yeah, I suppose so,
[8:35] Speaker 1: he managed to say with a feeble smile. Liam looped
[8:40] Speaker 1: the balloon around his wrist, then picked up the cake
[8:44] Speaker 1: box before they both headed outside. I don't believe it,
[8:49] Speaker 1: said Ted, first, the wrong balloons, now the wrong cake.
[8:56] Speaker 1: But that poor beaver, said the serval with sympathy. I
[9:01] Speaker 1: think she was trying hard even if she did get
[9:04] Speaker 1: it wrong. I'm sure your grandma will understand. And besides,
[9:09] Speaker 1: at least we have a cake, even if it's not
[9:12] Speaker 1: the one you wanted. Ted sagged his shoulders, but found
[9:18] Speaker 1: himself agreeing. Putting his hand into his pocket, he pulled
[9:22] Speaker 1: out the list to read the next job that needed doing.
[9:26] Speaker 1: We need to pick up grandma's present, Ted said, as
[9:30] Speaker 1: his eyes drifted to the list's fourth item. Oh no,
[9:36] Speaker 1: he gasped, I'm supposed to be at the train station
[9:39] Speaker 1: to meet my great aunt and uncle to show them
[9:42] Speaker 1: the way to the party. They'll be arriving at any minute.
[9:48] Speaker 1: Do we have time to collect the present and get
[9:50] Speaker 1: to the station, Liam asked. I don't think so, said Ted,
[9:56] Speaker 1: checking his watch. We'll have to split up, No problem,
[10:01] Speaker 1: the servile agreed. You get the present, I'll collect your
[10:06] Speaker 1: family from the train station. We can meet at the party. Deal,
[10:11] Speaker 1: said Ted quickly, and the two friends went their separate ways,
[10:17] Speaker 1: Liam with a large number eight around his wrist and
[10:20] Speaker 1: a heavy cake box in his hands, and Ted with
[10:24] Speaker 1: a bouncing, bobbing number one at the end of a string.
[10:28] Speaker 1: The present was waiting for him at the print shop.
[10:32] Speaker 1: His mum had supplied them with a lovely picture of
[10:34] Speaker 1: the whole family, which the print shop would print out
[10:38] Speaker 1: and place in a frame. Hello, I'm here to pick
[10:42] Speaker 1: up a photo, Ted began as he approached the print
[10:46] Speaker 1: shop counter, but was immediately cut off by a harassed
[10:49] Speaker 1: looking EMU. I'm terribly sorry, the emu squawked, but all
[10:55] Speaker 1: our printers are broken. We can't print a thing until
[10:59] Speaker 1: the repair company arrives. Ted's heart sank. Will it be soon?
[11:06] Speaker 1: He asked hopefully. Don't worry, said the EMU. You'll get
[11:11] Speaker 1: your picture tomorrow. I reckon tomorrow, wailed Ted, but soon
[11:18] Speaker 1: realized that there was nothing he could do. Getting cross
[11:23] Speaker 1: wouldn't change the situation. All right, thanks anyway, said Ted quietly.
[11:30] Speaker 1: He left, feeling defeated. There was no time to organize
[11:35] Speaker 1: another gift before the party started. How had everything gone
[11:40] Speaker 1: so wrong? He'd wanted it to be perfect for his grandma,
[11:45] Speaker 1: but nothing had gone right. He told his mum that
[11:49] Speaker 1: he wouldn't let her down, but he had every single time.
[11:55] Speaker 1: Ted arrived at the party feeling miserable, but doing his
[11:59] Speaker 1: best not to show it. He didn't want to spoil
[12:02] Speaker 1: the atmosphere. He was surprised to see that most of
[12:06] Speaker 1: the guests had arrived already. He couldn't bring himself to
[12:10] Speaker 1: share the bad news with his mum just yet, so
[12:13] Speaker 1: headed over to where Liam was arranging the number eight balloon.
[12:18] Speaker 1: Did you get the present? Okay? The serval asked, No,
[12:23] Speaker 1: sighed Ted, another disaster. Well at least the cake got
[12:29] Speaker 1: here in one piece, Liam said proudly. That's something, said Ted,
[12:35] Speaker 1: setting up the number one beside the number eight. Did
[12:40] Speaker 1: you collect my great aunt and uncle. Okay, he asked,
[12:44] Speaker 1: of course, chuckled Liam, pointing to a couple sat at
[12:48] Speaker 1: a nearby table. They're right over there. Ted's face went white.
[12:55] Speaker 1: That's not my aunt and uncle, he whispered. They're not Kawaka,
[13:00] Speaker 1: they're cappy bar Us. Liam was speechless. Ah was all
[13:07] Speaker 1: he could muster. Which means my great aunt and uncle
[13:11] Speaker 1: are still at the station, said Ted, a look of
[13:16] Speaker 1: determination set upon his face. He wasn't about to let
[13:20] Speaker 1: anyone down, especially his mum and his grandma, right, he said,
[13:27] Speaker 1: we can still fix this. Fix what. The two young
[13:33] Speaker 1: cats jumped in surprise as Grandma Caracal appeared beside them.
[13:39] Speaker 1: Grandma Ted spluttered, This wouldn't happen to have anything to
[13:44] Speaker 1: do with the phone call I just got for my sister,
[13:47] Speaker 1: would it? His? Grandma asked. I'm so sorry. Ted wailed
[13:54] Speaker 1: everything went wrong. It was my fault. Liam cut in.
[14:00] Speaker 1: I accidentally brought the wrong people to your party. Grandma
[14:05] Speaker 1: stared at them, looking serious, then burst into laughter. Oh dear,
[14:13] Speaker 1: you two have worked yourself up, she giggled. But Grandma,
[14:18] Speaker 1: I've let you down. I wanted your party to be perfect,
[14:22] Speaker 1: said Ted. But Grandma just smiled and drew him into
[14:27] Speaker 1: a hug. I don't need a perfect party, she said,
[14:33] Speaker 1: Just every one I love all in one room, and
[14:37] Speaker 1: that's what I've got. But what about Ted's great aunt
[14:41] Speaker 1: and uncle, fretted Liam. They're already here, smiled Grandma, pointing
[14:48] Speaker 1: to a couple getting drinks. They got a taxi. But
[14:53] Speaker 1: what about them, Ted whispered, gesturing to the cappy bars
[14:59] Speaker 1: and more, the merrier his grandma shrugged. The cake's lemon,
[15:05] Speaker 1: warned Ted, convinced this would spoil everything. Lemon's my second
[15:12] Speaker 1: favorite flavor, grinned grandma. Your present wasn't ready, pointed out Ted,
[15:20] Speaker 1: So what, said Grandma? That's an excuse to carry on
[15:24] Speaker 1: my birthday into tomorrow. And there's your balloons, said Ted
[15:30] Speaker 1: with a WinCE, pointing to where they showed a large
[15:33] Speaker 1: eighty one. They've made you older than you actually are, oh,
[15:40] Speaker 1: said grandma, looking amused. Ted though had an idea. He
[15:46] Speaker 1: rushed over and swapped the two numbers around. Oh how lovely,
[15:53] Speaker 1: laughed Grandma. I'm eighteen again. She gave him another big hug,
[16:00] Speaker 1: then planted a sloppy kiss on his cheek. You've done
[16:04] Speaker 1: brilliantly now, let's party, she cried, making Ted laugh as
[16:11] Speaker 1: she dragged Liam onto the dance floor. Everything all right,
[16:16] Speaker 1: asked Ted's mum, bringing him over a much needed drink.
[16:21] Speaker 1: Ted thought about telling her, then decided she didn't need
[16:25] Speaker 1: to know. They couldn't change what had happened, and Grandma
[16:29] Speaker 1: was happy. That's all that mattered. Everything's just great, he said.
[16:41] Speaker 1: Animals fat caracals are medium sized cats found throughout most
[16:46] Speaker 1: of Africa, the Middle East, and into Asia. They have
[16:50] Speaker 1: large tufted ears much like a lynx, and males are
[16:55] Speaker 1: slightly larger than females. Servals are smaller than carra cows
[17:00] Speaker 1: and only found in Africa, where kara cows have tan
[17:04] Speaker 1: colored fur and black face markings. Servals have gold and
[17:09] Speaker 1: yellow fur with black spots and stripes. Unlike caracals, servals
[17:15] Speaker 1: don't have ear tufts. Both kinds of cat are mainly
[17:20] Speaker 1: solitary creatures, although they do occasionally travel in a pair,
[17:24] Speaker 1: but only with another of their kind. Thank you for
[17:28] Speaker 1: your suggestions, Ted, We hope that you all enjoyed the story.
[17:32] Speaker 1: Wherever you're listening in the world, don't forget to look
[17:36] Speaker 1: at our Animal Tails books over on Amazon. Great Bedtime reading,
[17:41] Speaker 1: especially if you've discovered the joy of reading for yourself.
[17:45] Speaker 1: Make sure you join us next time for another great
[17:48] Speaker 1: animal tail. Goodbye,

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