Concerning Cats 



to a guest, and she hastened to do so. She was 

 never mistaken : only, when the visitor was a person 

 whom she knew and liked, she would jump on his 

 knee and coax him for a bit off his plate by her 

 graceful caresses. She survived her brothers, and 

 was my dear companion for several years. . . . Such 

 is the chronicle of the Black Dynasty." 



Although cats have no place in the Bible, neither 

 can their enemies who sing the praise of the dog, 

 find much advantage there : for that most excellent 

 animal is referred to in anything but a complimentary 

 fashion — " For without are dogs and sorcerers." 



The great prophet of Allah, however, knew a good 

 cat when he saw it. " Muezza " even contributed her 

 small share to the development of the Mahometan 

 system : for did she not sit curled up in her master's 

 sleeve, and by her soft purring soothe and deepen his 

 meditations .' And did she not keep him dreaming 

 so long that she finally became exhausted herself, 

 and fell asleep in his flowing sleeve ; whereupon did 

 not Mahomet, rather than disturb her, and feeling 

 that he must be about his Allah's business, cut off 

 his sleeve rather than disturb the much loved Muezza } 

 The nurses of Cairo tell this story to their young 

 charges to this day. 



Cardinal Richelieu had many a kitten, too; and 

 morose and ill-tempered as he was, found in them 

 much amusement. His love for them, however, was 

 not that unselfish love which led Mahomet to cut off 



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