As for Faribole, he was taken again into the Countess’s service, where, so willingly did he work, and so earnestly did he repent of his misdoing, that Mother Michel adopted him as her own son. When the old Countess died, she left in her will, as she had promised, an annuity of three hundred dollars to Moumouth and Mother Michel, to be shared between them, and when one died, the other was to receive the whole legacy. So these three--Mother Michel, Moumouth, and Faribole--lived together happy and contented all their days. And when Moumouth died,--for all cats must, you know,--he had a grand funeral, and a fine monument with the story of his life written on it in Latin, so that all might know how good and wise a cat he had been. * * * * * “There!” purred Impty. “Isn’t that a fine tale? And, you see, it did turn out well, didn’t it? Why, Moumouth became so famous that people made a nursery rhyme out of his story. French children sing it to this day, and know it as well as you do ‘Three Little Kittens.’” “Oh, Impty! What lovely stories the King of the Cats does tell you! I wish I could go to Cat-Land some night. Couldn’t I?” Dolly coaxed. “I’ll see,” said Impty, settling himself for his sleep-journey. “To-night I’ll ask my grandfather, and _maybe_ he’ll let you come.” THE SIXTH NIGHT “Can I go to Cat-Land, Impty dear?” asked Dolly, sitting up eagerly, as soon as the black kitten jumped on the bed. “No, you can’t,” Impty answered. “I’m awfully sorry, but my grandfather says that unless you can change into a cat you can’t go; and people can’t change into cats, nor cats into people, nowadays. I can’t imagine wanting to be a human being, but there was a cat once that did. Did you ever hear of her?” [Illustration: VENUS AND THE CAT] There was, once upon a time, a cat who was not at all satisfied with herself. It was not that she wished to be more beautiful, but, because she had fallen in love with a young man, she wanted to be changed into a girl, that he might love her in return. So she prayed before the altar of Venus, and begged that the goddess would make her a beautiful maiden. So long and so earnestly did the cat pray, that Venus at last grew sorry for her, and changed her into one of the loveliest girls in the world, so beautiful, indeed, that, as soon as he saw her, the young man begged her to marry him. Everything was going as happily as possible, when Venus, just to see if she had been able to give the cat another nature in changing her shape, put a mouse down before her. Instantly the girl sprang from her seat, and chased the mouse round and round the room, caught it, and would have eaten it, had not Venus turned her at once into a cat again, for she saw it was of no use, and that what was bred in the bone would always stick to the flesh. [Illustration: VENUS TURNED HER AT ONCE INTO A CAT AGAIN.--_Page 180._] * * * * *