The Book of Cats. 195 



tion, he said to the Marquis : — " It will be your 

 own fault, my Lord Marquis of Carabas, if you do 

 not soon become my son-in-law." The Marquis 

 received the intelligence with a thousand respectful 

 acknowledgments, accepted the honour conferred 

 upon him, and married the Princess that very day. 

 The Cat became a great lord, and never after 

 pursued rats, except for his own amusement. 



I think, too, that the famous story of the White 

 Cat should also find a place in this little volume : — 



There once was a King, the legend says, who was 

 growing old, and it was told to him that his three 

 sons wished to govern the kingdom. The old King, 

 who did not wish to give up his power just }^et, 

 thought the best way to prevent his sons from 

 taking his throne was to send them out to seek for 

 adventures ; so he called them all around him, and 

 said : — 



" My sons, go away and travel for a year ; and 

 he of you who brings me the most beautiful little 

 dog, shall have the kingdom, and be King after 

 me." 



Then the three Princes started on the journey ; 

 but it is of the youngest of the three that I have 

 now to tell. He travelled for many days, and at 

 last found himself, one evening, at the door of a 



