# Lost In Cairo

An episode of [Animal Tales: The Kids' Story Podcast](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1644596989), 21 Jun 2026, 18 min.

Audio: https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/72498177/at506_lostincairo_mixdown.mp3

A family take a trip to Egypt, only to lose their dog in the city of Cairo. 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

[0:12] Speaker 1: Yea, hello. My name's Josephine and this is the Animal
[0:18] Speaker 1: Tales podcast, where you suggest the animals featured in our stories.
[0:22] Speaker 1: There are new tales to enjoy every Monday and Wednesday,
[0:26] Speaker 1: with a third premium only story every Friday. To learn
[0:30] Speaker 1: more about Animal Tales, please visit our new website at
[0:34] Speaker 1: Animaltales dot uk, where you can now find stories more
[0:38] Speaker 1: easily by animal type. Joe is from London in England
[0:44] Speaker 1: and he would like a story with a water buffalo,
[0:47] Speaker 1: a camel and a snake. You can learn more about
[0:50] Speaker 1: these creatures in the animal facts after the story. Okay,
[0:54] Speaker 1: are you ready? That's good, then I'll begin. Lost in Cairo,
[1:02] Speaker 1: Joe lay on the ground panting. It was a hot,
[1:06] Speaker 1: sunny day in Egypt, and despite the heat, he was
[1:09] Speaker 1: loving it. Behind him, Joe's family were getting ready for
[1:13] Speaker 1: a long day of sight seeing. They were visiting Cairo
[1:17] Speaker 1: for the week, and even though Joe was a dog,
[1:20] Speaker 1: had brought him along too. All right, everyone said, Dad,
[1:26] Speaker 1: we've got a long day ahead of us. A boat
[1:29] Speaker 1: ride down the Nile, a tour around the Great Pyramid
[1:32] Speaker 1: of Gezer, then back into Cairo for the Hanging Church.
[1:36] Speaker 1: This afternoon, make sure you have everything you need and
[1:40] Speaker 1: remember to stay close. Joe wagged his tail happily as
[1:45] Speaker 1: the family left their hotel, shutting the red door behind
[1:49] Speaker 1: them straightway. There was so much to sniff and see,
[1:55] Speaker 1: so many people, so much noise, and strange new buildings everywhere.
[2:01] Speaker 1: Joe kept getting distracted as they weaved their way through
[2:04] Speaker 1: the streets, with Dad pointing out landmarks such as the
[2:07] Speaker 1: Abdeen Palace Museum. They arrived at the dock where they'd
[2:12] Speaker 1: be taking their boat trip along the Nile. The smells
[2:17] Speaker 1: of Egypt filled Joe's nose, such as new foods, interesting fabrics,
[2:23] Speaker 1: and animals that were completely new to the dog. While
[2:27] Speaker 1: the family waited patiently for the boat, something particularly delicious
[2:31] Speaker 1: smelling got Joe's full attention. He fidgeted and pulled and
[2:37] Speaker 1: twisted as the waiting crowd began to board, and such
[2:41] Speaker 1: was the hustle and bustle that Mum didn't notice that Joe,
[2:45] Speaker 1: in his excitement, had slipped his collar. He dashed through
[2:50] Speaker 1: the legs of the dockside crowd, weaving through people, bikes,
[2:54] Speaker 1: and carts to the source of the exciting smell, A
[2:58] Speaker 1: delicious kebab. Some one must have dropped it, but Joe
[3:03] Speaker 1: wasn't going to let it go to waste. He wolfed
[3:06] Speaker 1: it down, then trotted back to his family, But his
[3:11] Speaker 1: family weren't there. The boat was gone. Skidding to a
[3:16] Speaker 1: halt at the dock's edge, he caught sight of the
[3:19] Speaker 1: boat sailing away, already far too far away to jump
[3:23] Speaker 1: or swim too, but he could run. Joe sprinted along
[3:28] Speaker 1: the river side, trying to keep a watchful eye on
[3:31] Speaker 1: his family's boat. But the nile was a busy place,
[3:36] Speaker 1: and it wasn't long before he lost sight of it
[3:38] Speaker 1: amongst the mass of other river vessels. What do I do,
[3:43] Speaker 1: he whined, I've lost my family, and in a city
[3:48] Speaker 1: he didn't know. What made it worse was that he
[3:52] Speaker 1: knew that they'd be worried about him. He slumped down
[3:56] Speaker 1: on the river bank, dropping his head onto his paws,
[4:00] Speaker 1: feeling very, very sorry for himself. What's up, pup, asked
[4:06] Speaker 1: a small yellow and brown sand snake, emerging from a
[4:10] Speaker 1: gap beneath a rock. I've lost my family, Joe sniffed.
[4:16] Speaker 1: They've sailed away and left me. Ah, that is a problem,
[4:21] Speaker 1: said the sand snake. Where were they sailing to? I
[4:27] Speaker 1: doubt you'd know, sighed Joe. Cairo is a big place.
[4:32] Speaker 1: How can any one know it all? Why don't you
[4:35] Speaker 1: try me and see, suggested the sand snake. Joe reluctantly agreed.
[4:42] Speaker 1: They are going to see something called a Gezer pyramid.
[4:46] Speaker 1: The dog recalled, whatever that is, I know what it is,
[4:52] Speaker 1: hissed the snake. You mean the great Pyramid of Gezer.
[4:57] Speaker 1: I know all the pyramids as well as that Pattern's
[4:59] Speaker 1: a on my back. I can take you there. Joe
[5:04] Speaker 1: couldn't believe his luck. Thank you so much, said Joe.
[5:09] Speaker 1: There's a chance I can still see my family again.
[5:13] Speaker 1: The sand snake introduced herself as Livia as she guided
[5:18] Speaker 1: Joe up river. Upon reaching a bridge, they crossed the
[5:22] Speaker 1: waterway before following the path of a long straight road.
[5:27] Speaker 1: The sand snake kept well out of the way of
[5:29] Speaker 1: the thumping feet and heavy tires, and Joe trotted along
[5:33] Speaker 1: happily behind her. Tell me, Livia said, Joe. What does
[5:39] Speaker 1: this great pyramid look like? Is it easy to spot? You?
[5:44] Speaker 1: Tell me, laughed the snake as the sand opened out
[5:48] Speaker 1: before them. Upon the sand, enormous stone structures with gigantic
[5:54] Speaker 1: triangular sides towered over the landscape. Are those pyramids, Joe asked.
[6:02] Speaker 1: They're huge, and we want the biggest of them all,
[6:07] Speaker 1: grinned the snake. The pyramids were just outside the city,
[6:12] Speaker 1: on the edge of the desert. They were older than
[6:15] Speaker 1: almost every other building on Earth, standing amongst ruins and
[6:20] Speaker 1: the great stone sphinx. Hopefully your humans are around here somewhere,
[6:26] Speaker 1: said Livia as they arrived at the Great Pyramid of Gezer.
[6:30] Speaker 1: But there's a lot of ground to cover and lots
[6:33] Speaker 1: of people. We'd best get looking. The dog and the
[6:38] Speaker 1: snake walked all the way around the base of the
[6:41] Speaker 1: Great Pyramid, getting a good close up view of the
[6:44] Speaker 1: old limestone blocks, but Joe's family were nowhere to be seen. Anything.
[6:52] Speaker 1: The sand snake asked nothing, Joe sighed, not a hint
[6:58] Speaker 1: of a smell either. That's disappointing, Livia said, I guess
[7:04] Speaker 1: there's a chance that we missed them. We did take
[7:08] Speaker 1: a long time to get here, Joe reasoned, and a
[7:12] Speaker 1: long time looking around. There's a chance they've moved on.
[7:17] Speaker 1: Can you recall where they plan to go next? The
[7:20] Speaker 1: snake asked, hum said the dog, thinking hard. A church.
[7:27] Speaker 1: I think there are lots of churches in cairo, said Livia.
[7:33] Speaker 1: Thousands even and thousands more mosques and other places of worship.
[7:38] Speaker 1: Can you remember any other details to help us narrow
[7:42] Speaker 1: it down? Yes, nodded Joe. It's a dangling church. It dangles.
[7:49] Speaker 1: Do you know where it is? The snake looked baffled
[7:53] Speaker 1: for a moment before a spark of an idea lit
[7:56] Speaker 1: up her eyes. Do you mean the hanging church? Yes,
[8:02] Speaker 1: that's it, said Joe, leaping for joy, not dangling hanging.
[8:09] Speaker 1: Then we'd best get moving, said Livia. We've got to
[8:13] Speaker 1: head back across the river. Let's go. The two animals
[8:18] Speaker 1: raced across the sand, leaving the pyramids behind them. They
[8:23] Speaker 1: passed several water buffalo being herded by two boys, before
[8:27] Speaker 1: arriving at an extremely busy road jam packed with cars
[8:32] Speaker 1: and people. We can't go through there, We'll get squished,
[8:37] Speaker 1: Livia said, in frustration. I'm never going to find my family.
[8:42] Speaker 1: Joe wailed. Oh how awful, said one of the water buffalo.
[8:49] Speaker 1: We're going your way, stick with us. The water buffalo
[8:54] Speaker 1: made their own path through the crowded roadway for no
[8:58] Speaker 1: other reason than people wanted to stay away from their
[9:01] Speaker 1: large horns. It allowed Joe and Livia to make good
[9:05] Speaker 1: progress back to the river. This is where we stop,
[9:10] Speaker 1: said the water buffalo. We're here to drink. That's okay,
[9:16] Speaker 1: smiled Joe. It's not so busy now, we'll be all
[9:19] Speaker 1: right from here. They parted happily, with the dog and
[9:24] Speaker 1: the snake retracing their path over the bridge. Livia took
[9:29] Speaker 1: the lead, allowing Joe to enjoy the beautiful scenery, such
[9:33] Speaker 1: as bustling markets, stunning churches, and enormous mosques. Livia was right,
[9:41] Speaker 1: there were so many. Then at last they reached the
[9:45] Speaker 1: Hanging Church. This is it, the sand snake, cried, one
[9:51] Speaker 1: of the oldest churches in Egypt. I just hope my
[9:55] Speaker 1: family are here, Joe said. The two animals sneaked into
[10:00] Speaker 1: the church, searching it from top to bottom. Joe thought
[10:05] Speaker 1: it was quite stunning, with its high windows and tall columns,
[10:09] Speaker 1: but sadly there was no sign of his family outside.
[10:14] Speaker 1: At the foot of the steps, Joe slumped to the ground,
[10:18] Speaker 1: hot and tired. They're not here, he sobbed. Perhaps they've
[10:25] Speaker 1: been here already, said the snake. Were they going anywhere else?
[10:30] Speaker 1: This was it? Joe sniffed, feeling defeated. We went to
[10:36] Speaker 1: all the places they said they would visit. Now I'll
[10:39] Speaker 1: never find them. I'll be lost in Cairo forever. He sniffled,
[10:45] Speaker 1: burying his muzzle under his paws. And nearby camel overheard
[10:51] Speaker 1: the dog's wines and took pity on him. What's wrong
[10:55] Speaker 1: with this dog, he asked the sand snake. He's lost
[11:00] Speaker 1: his family, Livia explained, can't you just go home and
[11:05] Speaker 1: find them there? The camel asked, That's what I would do,
[11:10] Speaker 1: But my home is a long way from Cairo, whimpered Joe.
[11:15] Speaker 1: But they must be sleeping somewhere while they're here, pointed
[11:19] Speaker 1: out the camel. Can't you look for them there? Joe's
[11:24] Speaker 1: head shot up. Of course, why didn't I think of that?
[11:29] Speaker 1: That's where all their things are. That's good, said the
[11:33] Speaker 1: relieved snake. So where exactly are you staying? Immediately Joe's
[11:41] Speaker 1: ears dropped. I don't know the name, he whined. That's
[11:47] Speaker 1: all right, said the camel. Can you remember anything else
[11:51] Speaker 1: about it? What does it look like? For example, the
[11:56] Speaker 1: hotel had a red door, Joe recalled. Oh, and it
[12:01] Speaker 1: was near a palace, the Abdeen Palace Museum, cheered Livia.
[12:08] Speaker 1: Well done, said the camel, dropping to his knees hop on.
[12:14] Speaker 1: I'll give you a lift. My name's Wilfrid, said the
[12:18] Speaker 1: camel as he started walking through the narrow streets. I've
[12:23] Speaker 1: lived in Cairo my entire life. We'll find that hotel
[12:27] Speaker 1: of yours, don't you worry. Wilfrid appeared to be sure
[12:32] Speaker 1: of the way, so for the first time that day,
[12:36] Speaker 1: Joe let himself relax. He had never been so high up.
[12:41] Speaker 1: He could see right over all the people's heads as
[12:44] Speaker 1: he perched upon the camel's hump. Wilfrid took every opportunity
[12:49] Speaker 1: to tell them a little about the shops, restaurants, and
[12:52] Speaker 1: museums that they passed. He was forever pointing out interesting
[12:57] Speaker 1: things and telling them facts. Joe drank it all in.
[13:03] Speaker 1: It was pretty cool to have a personal tall guide.
[13:07] Speaker 1: When they eventually reached the Abdeen Palace museum, Joe gave
[13:11] Speaker 1: a huge sigh of relief. They were close. Now, all
[13:16] Speaker 1: we need is to find a hotel with a red door,
[13:19] Speaker 1: grinned Livia. Wilfrid lumbered on, allowing himself to be guided
[13:25] Speaker 1: by Joe whenever he recognized a sight or smell, until
[13:30] Speaker 1: there it was the hotel Joe said, as they stood
[13:35] Speaker 1: before the bright red door. We found it. Wilfrid sank
[13:41] Speaker 1: down so Joe and Livia could climb off. Thank you
[13:46] Speaker 1: so much, Joe said, gratefully, that was a lot of fun.
[13:51] Speaker 1: You're most welcome. Wilfrid winked and thank you, Livia. If
[13:57] Speaker 1: I hadn't met you this morning, I don't know what
[14:00] Speaker 1: I would have done, Joe smiled. I'm just glad we
[14:05] Speaker 1: got you back. Livia replied, I hope your humans are
[14:09] Speaker 1: inside waiting for you. If either of you ever happened
[14:13] Speaker 1: to visit London, I'd be more than happy to show
[14:16] Speaker 1: you around, Joe said, as the red door opened to
[14:20] Speaker 1: let out a guest. This was his chance to slip inside. Goodbye,
[14:26] Speaker 1: he cried, and was in. He raced through the hotel,
[14:32] Speaker 1: dodging people and suitcases as he sniffed out the family's room.
[14:37] Speaker 1: But when he got there, the door was closed and
[14:40] Speaker 1: there was no scent of his loved ones within. All
[14:44] Speaker 1: he could do was curl up here and hope. Joe yelled,
[14:50] Speaker 1: the voices of the children jolting him. Alert, it's Joe,
[14:55] Speaker 1: It's Joe. They fell upon him, cuddling and stroking hi
[15:00] Speaker 1: his furry body. Why he's right here, said Mum in disbelief.
[15:07] Speaker 1: How did he find his way back here? Dad scratched
[15:11] Speaker 1: his head, looking puzzled. We've spent all day searching between
[15:16] Speaker 1: the docks and here, and he was in the hotel
[15:19] Speaker 1: the whole time, he chuckled. Joe gulped, feeling guilty. They
[15:25] Speaker 1: hadn't been on the boat trip at all. They must
[15:28] Speaker 1: have got off to look for him the moment they
[15:30] Speaker 1: knew he was missing. That's why they weren't at any
[15:34] Speaker 1: of the places they'd said they'd be, which meant that
[15:38] Speaker 1: only he had seen all of Cairo's wonderful sights. I'm
[15:43] Speaker 1: just glad we're all back together, said Mum, giving Joe
[15:47] Speaker 1: a pat on the head. We'll just have to do
[15:50] Speaker 1: our trip tomorrow instead again, thought Joe. Oh well, he
[15:58] Speaker 1: didn't really mind, as this time he'd be with his family.
[16:07] Speaker 1: Animal fat water buffalo were domesticated over six thousand years
[16:13] Speaker 1: ago in India, where they soon reached Egypt. They are
[16:17] Speaker 1: kept for use on small farms for transporting goods, as
[16:21] Speaker 1: well as for their milk and meat. Egyptian camels are
[16:26] Speaker 1: called dromedaries and have one hump made of fat. They
[16:30] Speaker 1: were first domesticated four thousand years ago, where they can
[16:34] Speaker 1: serve a similar purpose to the water buffalo. Unlike the
[16:38] Speaker 1: water buffalo, camels are great for riding on two Egyptian
[16:44] Speaker 1: Sandsnakes are noticeably fast snakes that can chase down their prey.
[16:50] Speaker 1: This tends to be other snakes and lizards, but can
[16:54] Speaker 1: include small mammals and frogs too. Thank you for your suggestions, Joe.
[17:00] Speaker 1: We hope you enjoyed the story, and thank you to
[17:02] Speaker 1: all of you across the world for listening to it.
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