The Book of Cats. 189 



magician could wish, but before long he became 

 thoughtful. The month had nearly expired ; at the 

 end he was to die if fat enough. Ah ! a bright 

 thought, he would get thin again. With a won- 

 drous strength of mind he refrained from eating 

 the luxuries provided, took plenty of exercise on 

 the house-tops, and kept himself in excellent 

 health, but much thinner than suited the wizard's 

 fancy. 



" Before long, this gentleman remonstrated with 

 Tom, pointing out to him very plainly, that he was 

 bound by all the laws of honour to get fat by the 

 month's end. To this, Tom had little to urge of 

 any moment, and the magician informed him that 

 he would kill him at the appointed period, let him be 

 in what condition he might. Tom, therefore, would 

 gain nothing by being thin, and it was hoped that 

 his good taste, unchecked by other considerations, 

 would induce him to make up for lost time. Time 

 rolled on, Tom behaved worse than ever, and when 

 the fatal day arrived ' he looked in worse condition 

 than ever — a dissipated, abandoned, shaggy scamp, 

 without an ounce on his bones.' The wizard could 

 not stand this, so he thrust Tom into an empty 

 coop and fed him by violence. In course of time, 

 the wizard was satisfied, and began to sharpen his 



