Free Samantha's Talent by Darrell Bain, Robyn Pass

them some of her remaining corn dog but a sign was posted in large letters at nearly every exhibit, including this one:
    PLEASE DO NOT FEED THE ANIMALS!
    It was hard for her to resist their entreaties since she could clearly understand them. They were saying Give food! Give food, please!
    "I'm sorry, we aren't allowed to feed you," Samantha said out loud.
    Immediately the monkeys within hearing stopped what they were doing and stared at her. Whoops! She thought. I forgot.
    She glanced around and saw that her father was looking at her in a reproving fashion.
    "I'm sorry, Dad. I just forgot," she whispered so no one else could hear.
    "It's okay but let's move on so they'll go back to playing for the other people.
    Several adults and a few of the students stared at her for a moment, wondering what had happened but then shrugged and went back to watching the monkeys' antics.
    "The big cats are next," the zoo attendant who was accompanying the class said. "We have some from all over the world." Samantha wanted to talk to her and ask about her profession but she decided it wouldn't be a good idea with so many others around, including her classmates.
    The first exhibit of big cats were the tigers. They had a large roaming area that was confined by a moat and a tall chain-link fence. The barriers let the visitors watch without danger to themselves.
    Samantha stood by the rail, looking down and out at the big striped cats. There were three of them. Two were walking lazily around but the third stayed by itself. Himself, she amended as she determined its gender. He didn't look very happy.
    The zoo attendant was a nice looking, matronly woman with short graying hair. "This is feeding time," she announced. "Our tigers are fed mostly on beef since they are carnivorous, which means they are meat eaters. They would probably prefer to hunt and kill their own meals, such as zebras or gazelles, but of course we don't have room or spare zebras and such so they are given pieces of beef to eat."
    As she talked big chunks of meat attached to bones began dropping among the cats. The two that had been moving around immediately grabbed big hunks of it and began gnawing ferociously. The other also found a section of beef but Samantha noticed that it appeared to be eating more delicately, nibbling rather than tearing at the meat on the bone. When the tiger began chewing he gave out a subdued coughing noise. It meant nothing to anyone else but Samantha heard it clearly as a sound of pain, as if it hurt him to eat. She wanted to ask it what was wrong, but again there were too many people around. She could understand the tiger's rumbling voice as it ate though, just as clearly as if he had been human. Hurts! Mouth hurts! She wanted desperately to tell the attendant but how could she explain without telling her she could talk to animals?
    "It's time to move on now," Ms. Smithers told the class and their chaperones.
    As the group walked away they lost sight of the tigers. Samantha was barely paying attention to where they were going because she was thinking about the tiger that had been hurting. It looked so sad, even while eating. Suddenly she had an idea.
    "Dad, I think I'm going to be sick. Maybe we should go back home." She looked up at her father and tried to look as if she felt unwell. She actually did feel a little sick at the thought of the pain the tiger had expressed while eating.
    "What's wrong, Sammie?"
    "I'm... I feel sick to my stomach."
    "Come on, let's talk to your teacher." They hurried along until Samantha's father could speak to Ms. Smithers. "Samantha says she's feeling sick. Maybe it was the corn dog, but I should probably take her home."
    "Oh, I'm so sorry. We're not even half finished but if she's sick, by all means take her home, or to the doctor."
    "Thank you. I'll do that."
    "Goodbye, Ms. Smithers. Thank you for bringing us to the zoo," Samantha said.
    "You're welcome Samantha. Now go on home and I hope you get to feeling better real