“The old woman laughed: ‘Where do you come from, you queer little fellow?’ she asked. ‘Why, everyone in the town knows that I only cook for my beloved cats, and now and again I invite a few guests to feast with them, as you saw just now.’ Little Mouk told what a hard lot his had been since his father’s death and begged her to let him partake of her cats’ food for once. The old woman seemed pleased with the truthfulness of the little fellow and gave him a plentiful supply of food and drink. “When he had satisfied his hunger the old woman looked at him for some time and then said: ‘Little Mouk, would you like to enter my service? If you would you shall have little trouble and be well paid for your work.’ “Little Mouk, who had enjoyed the cats’ broth, consented, and entered the service of Madam Ahavzi. His work was light but very curious. “Madam Ahavzi had in all six cats, and little Mouk was expected to brush their fur and anoint them with sweet-smelling essences. When their mistress was out he had to take charge of them. When they took their meals it was his task to set the dishes before them, and at night he was expected to put them to bed on silken cushions and cover them with velvet coverlets. “There were also several little dogs in the house for him to take care of; but there was not so much fuss made over them as over the cats, which Madam Ahavzi treated as her own children. “On the whole Mouk’s life was as solitary as it had been in his father’s house, for besides the old woman he saw no living creature but the cats and dogs. “For some time all went well and little Mouk had plenty to eat and little to do, and the old woman was quite pleased and contented with him, but by-and-by the cats were naughty. When the old woman went out they jumped about the room, upset all manner of things and broke one or two valuable ornaments which happened to be in their way. But the moment they heard the old woman’s step on the stairs they crept back to their cushions and waved their tails to and fro as though nothing had happened. “Madam Ahavzi flew into a violent rage when she saw what a state the room was in and laid the blame on Mouk, and it was useless for him to excuse himself; she believed her innocent-looking cats rather than her servant. “Little Mouk was very sad to think that his misfortunes had overtaken him again and he determined to quit his mistress’ service.