never come into the
Cave? Must I never sit by the warm fire? Must I never drink the warm
white milk? You are very wise and very beautiful. You should not be
cruel even to a Cat.'

Woman said, 'I knew I was wise, but I did not know I was beautiful. So I
will make a bargain with you. If ever I say one word in your praise you
may come into the Cave.'

'And if you say two words in my praise?' said the Cat.

'I never shall,' said the Woman, 'but if I say two words in your
praise, you may sit by the fire in the Cave.'

'And if you say three words?' said the Cat.

'I never shall,' said the Woman, 'but if I say three words in your
praise, you may drink the warm white milk three times a day for always
and always and always.'

Then the Cat arched his back and said, 'Now let the Curtain at the mouth
of the Cave, and the Fire at the back of the Cave, and the Milk-pots
that stand beside the Fire, remember what my Enemy and the Wife of my
Enemy has said.' And he went away through the Wet Wild Woods waving his
wild tail and walking by his wild lone.

That night when the Man and the Horse and the Dog came home from
hunting, the Woman did not tell them of the bargain that she had made
with the Cat, because she was afraid that they might not like it.

Cat went far and far away and hid himself in the Wet Wild Woods by his
wild lone for a long time till the Woman forgot all about him. Only the
Bat--the little upside-down Bat--that hung inside the Cave, knew where
Cat hid; and every evening Bat would fly to Cat with news of what was
happening.

One evening Bat said, 'There is a Baby in the Cave. He is new and pink
and fat and small, and the Woman is very fond of him.'

'Ah,' said the Cat, listening, 'but what is the Baby fond of?'

'He is fond of things that are soft and tickle,' said the Bat. 'He is
fond of warm things to hold in his arms when he goes to sleep. He is
fond of being played with. He is fond of all those things.'

'Ah,' said the Cat, listening, 'then my time has come.'

Next night Cat walked through the Wet Wild Woods and hid very near the
Cave till morning-time, and Man and Dog and Horse went hunting. The
Woman was busy cooking that morning, and the Baby cried and interrupted.
So she carried him outside the Cave and gave him a handful of pebbles to
play with. But still the Baby cried.

Then the Cat put out his paddy paw and patted the Baby on the cheek, and
it cooed; and the Cat rubbed against its fat knees