xii PEE FACE 



These are amusing, but it is not true that ' the 

 Garret Lion ate Sybil's mummy.' Indeed, I think 

 that when people, long ago, invented the Fire Drake, 

 and the Ice Beast, they were just like Miss Corbet, 

 when she invented the Kank, the Wuss, and other 

 animals. That is to say, they were children in their 

 minds, though grown up in their bodies. They 

 fancied that they saw creatures which were never 

 created. 



If this book has any moral at all, it is to be kind 

 to all sorts and conditions of animals — that will let 

 you. Most girls are ready to do this, but boys used 

 to be apt to be unkind to Cats when I was a boy. 

 There is no reason why an exception should be made 

 as to Cats, and a boy ought to think of this before 

 he throws stones or sets dogs at a cat. Now, in 

 London, we often see the little street boys making 

 friends with every cat they meet, but this is not so 

 common in the country. If anything in this book 

 amuses a boy, let him be kind to poor puss, and 

 protect her, for the sake of his obedient friend, 



ANDREW LANG. 



