THE　WHITE　CAT
  ONCE　upon　a　time　there　was　a　king　who　had　three　sons；
  who　were　all　so　clever　and　brave　that　he　began　to　be
  afraid　that　they　would　want　to　reign　over　the　kingdom
  before　he　was　dead。　Now　the　King；　though　he　felt　that
  he　was　growing　old；　did　not　at　all　wish　to　give　up　the
  government　of　his　kingdom　while　he　could　still　manage　it
  very　well；　so　he　thought　the　best　way　to　live　in　peace
  would　be　to　divert　the　minds　of　his　sons　by　promises
  which　he　could　always　get　out　of　when　the　time　came　for
  keeping　them。
  So　he　sent　for　them　all；　and；　after　speaking　to　them
  kindly；　he　added：
  〃You　will　quite　agree　with　me；　my　dear　children；　that
  my　great　age　makes　it　impossible　for　me　to　look　after　my
  affairs　of　state　as　carefully　as　I　once　did。　I　begin　to　fear
  that　this　may　affect　the　welfare　of　my　subjects；　therefore
  I　wish　that　one　of　you　should　succeed　to　my　crown；　but
  in　return　for　such　a　gift　as　this　it　is　only　right　that　you
  should　do　something　for　me。　Now；　as　I　think　of　retiring
  into　the　country；　it　seems　to　me　that　a　pretty；　lively；
  faithful　little　dog　would　be　very　good　company　for　me；　so；
  without　any　regard　for　your　ages；　I　promise　that　the　one
  who　brings　me　the　most　beautiful　little　dog　shall　succeed
  me　at　once。〃
  The　three　Princes　were　greatly　surprised　by　their
  father's　sudden　fancy　for　a　little　dog；　but　as　it　gave　the
  two　younger　ones　a　chance　they　would　not　otherwise　have
  had　of　being　king；　and　as　the　eldest　was　too　polite　to
  make　any　objection；　they　accepted　the　commission　with
  pleasure。　They　bade　farewell　to　the　King；　who　gave　them
  presents　of　silver　and　precious　stones；　and　appointed　to
  meet　them　at　the　same　hour；　in　the　same　place；　after　a
  year　had　passed；　to　see　the　little　dogs　they　had　brought
  for　him。
  Then　they　went　together　to　a　castle　which　was　about
  a　league　from　the　city；　accompanied　by　all　their　particular
  friends；　to　whom　they　gave　a　grand　banquet；　and　the
  three　brothers　promised　to　be　friends　always；　to　share
  whatever　good　fortune　befell　them；　and　not　to　be　parted
  by　any　envy　or　jealousy；　and　so　they　set　out；　agreeing
  to　meet　at　the　same　castle　at　the　appointed　time；　to
  present　themselves　before　the　King　together。　Each　one　took
  a　different　road；　and　the　two　eldest　met　with　many
  adventures；　but　it　is　about　the　youngest　that　you　are
  going　to　hear。　He　was　young；　and　gay；　and　handsome；
  and　knew　everything　that　a　prince　ought　to　know；　and
  as　for　his　courage；　there　was　simply　no　end　to　it。
  Hardly　a　day　passed　without　his　buying　several　dogs
  big　and　little；　greyhounds；　mastiffs；　spaniels；　and　lapdogs。
  As　soon　as　he　had　bought　a　pretty　one　he　was　sure　to　see
  a　still　prettier；　and　then　he　had　to　get　rid　of　all　the　others
  and　buy　that　one；　as；　being　alone；　he　found　it　impossible
  to　take　thirty　or　forty　thousand　dogs　about　with　him。　He
  journeyed　from　day　to　day；　not　knowing　where　he　was
  going；　until　at　last；　just　at　nightfall；　he　reached　a　great；
  gloomy　forest。　He　did　not　know　his　way；　and；　to　make
  matters　worse；　it　began　to　thunder；　and　the　rain　poured
  down。　He　took　the　first　path　he　could　find；　and　after
  walking　for　a　long　time　he　fancied　he　saw　a　faint　light；　and
  began　to　hope　that　he　was　coming　to　some　cottage　where
  he　might　find　shelter　for　the　night。　At　length；　guided　by
  the　light；　he　reached　the　door　of　the　most　splendid　castle
  he　could　have　imagined。　This　door　was　of　gold　covered
  with　carbuncles；　and　it　was　the　pure　red　light　which　shone
  from　them　that　had　shown　him　the　way　through　the
  forest。　The　walls　were　of　the　finest　porcelain　in　all　the
  most　delicate　colors；　and　the　Prince　saw　that　all　the
  stories　he　had　ever　read　were　pictured　upon　them；　but　as
  he　was　terribly　wet；　and　the　rain　still　fell　in　torrents；　he
  could　not　stay　to　look　about　any　more；　but　came　back　to
  the　golden　door。　There　he　saw　a　deer's　foot　hanging　by　a
  chain　of　diamonds；　and　he　began　to　wonder　who　could
  live　in　this　magnificent　castle。
  〃They　must　feel　very　secure　against　robbers；〃　he　said
  to　himself。　〃What　is　to　hinder　anyone　from　cutting　off
  that　chain　and　digging　out　those　carbuncles；　and　making
  himself　rich　for　life？〃
  He　pulled　the　deer's　foot；　and　immediately　a　silver
  bell　sounded　and　the　door　flew　open；　but　the　Prince　could
  see　nothing　but　numbers　of　hands　in　the　air；　each　holding
  a　torch。　He　was　so　much　surprised　that　he　stood　quite
  still；　until　he　felt　himself　pushed　forward　by　other　hands；
  so　that；　though　he　was　somewhat　uneasy；　he　could　not
  help　going　on。　With　his　hand　on　his　sword；　to　be　prepared
  for　whatever　might　happen；　he　entered　a　hall　paved
  with　lapis…lazuli；　while　two　lovely　voices　sang：
  〃The　hands　you　see　floating　above
  Will　swiftly　your　bidding　obey；
  If　your　heart　dreads　not　conquering　Love；
  In　this　place　you　may　fearlessly　stay。〃
  The　Prince　could　not　believe　that　any　danger　threatened
  him　when　he　was　welcomed　in　this　way；　so；　guided
  by　the　mysterious　hands；　he　went　toward　a　door　of　coral；
  which　opened　of　its　own　accord；　and　he　found　himself　in
  a　vast　hall　of　mother…of…pearl；　out　of　which　opened　a
  number　of　other　rooms；　glittering　with　thousands　of
  lights；　and　full　of　such　beautiful　pictures　and　precious
  things　that　the　Prince　felt　quite　bewildered。　After　passing
  through　sixty　rooms　the　hands　that　conducted　him
  stopped；　and　the　Prince　saw　a　most　comfortable…looking
  arm…chair　drawn　up　close　to　the　chimney…corner；　at　the
  same　moment　the　fire　lighted　itself；　and　the　pretty；　soft；
  clever　hands　took　off　the　Prince's　wet；　muddy　clothes；　and
  presented　him　with　fresh　ones　made　of　the　richest　stuffs；
  all　embroidered　with　gold　and　emeralds。　He　could　not
  help　admiring　everything　he　saw；　and　the　deft　way　in
  which　the　hands　waited　on　him；　though　they　sometimes
  appeared　so　suddenly　that　they　made　him　jump。
  When　he　was　quite　readyand　I　can　assure　you　that
  he　looked　very　different　from　the　wet　and　weary　Prince
  who　had　stood　outside　in　the　rain；　and　pulled　the　deer's
  footthe　hands　led　him　to　a　splendid　room；　upon　the
  walls　of　which　were　painted　the　histories　of　Puss　in　Boots
  and　a　number　of　other　famous　cats。　The　table　was　laid
  for　supper　with　two　golden　plates；　and　golden　spoons　and
  forks；　and　the　sideboard　was　covered　with　dishes　and
  glasses　of　crystal　set　with　precious　stones。　The　Prince　was
  wondering　who　the　second　place　could　be　for；　when　suddenly
  in　came　about　a　dozen　cats　carrying　guitars　and
  rolls　of　music；　who　took　their　places　at　one　end　of　the
  room；　and　under　the　direction　of　a　cat　who　beat　time　with
  a　roll　of　paper　began　to　mew　in　every　imaginable　key；　and
  to　draw　their　claws　across　the　strings　of　the　guitars；　making
  the　strangest　kind　of　music　that　could　be　heard。　The
  Prince　hastily　stopped　up　his　ears；　but　even　then　the
  sight　of　these　comical　musicians　sent　him　into　fits　of
  laughter。
  〃What　funny　thing　shall　I　see　next？〃　he　said　to　himself；
  and　instantly　the　door　opened；　and　in　came　a　tiny　figure
  covered　by　a　long　black　veil。　It　was　conducted　by　two
  cats　wearing　black　mantles　and　carrying　swords；　and　a
  large　party　of　cats　followed；　who　brought　in　cages　full　of
  rats　and　mice。
  The　Prince　was　so　much　astonished　that　he　thought　he
  must　be　dreaming；　but　the　little　figure　came　up　to　him
  and　threw　back　its　veil；　and　he　saw　that　it　was　the　loveliest
  little　white　cat　it　is　possible　to　imagine。　She　looked
  very　young　and　very　sad；　and　in　a　sweet　little　voice　that
  went　straight　to　his　heart　she　said　to　the　Prince：
  〃King's　son；　you　are　welcome；　the　Queen　of　the　Cats　is
  glad　to　see　you。〃
  〃Lady　Cat；〃　replied　the　Prince；　〃I　thank　you　for
  receiving　me　so　kindly；　but　surely　you　are　no　ordinary
  pussy…cat？　Indeed；　the　way　you　speak　and　the　magnificence
  of　your　castle　prove　it　plainly。〃
  〃King's　son；〃　said　the　White　Cat；　〃I　beg　you　to　spare
  me　these　compliments；　for　I　am　not　used　to　them。　But
  now；〃　she　added；　〃let　supper　be　served；　and　let　the
  musicians　be　silent；　as　the　Prince　does　not　understand　what
  they　are　saying。〃
  So　the　mysterious　hands　began　to　bring　in　the　supper；
  and　first　they　put　on　the　table　two　dishes；　one　containing
  stewed　pigeons　and　the　other　a　fricassee　of　fat　mice。　The
  sight　of　the　latter　made　the　Prince　feel　as　if　he　could　not
  enjoy　his　supper　at　all；　but　the　White　Cat；　seeing　this；
  assured　him　that　the　dishes　intended　for　him　were　prepared
  in　a　separate　kitchen；　and　he　might　be　quite　certain
  that　they　contained　neither　rats　nor　mice；　and　the　Prince
  felt　so　sure　that　she　would　not　deceive　him　that　he　had　no
  more　hesitation　in　beginning。　Presently　he　noticed　that
  on　the　little　paw　that　was　next　him　the　White　Cat　wore　a
  bracelet　containing　a　portrait；　and　he　begged　to　be　allowed
  to　look　at　it。　To　his　great　surprise　he　found　it　represented
  an　extremely　handsome　young　man；　who　was　so　like　himself
  that　it　might　have　been　his　own　portrait！　The　White
  Cat　sighed　as　he　looke