stion but
you are very clever, O Cat.'

That very minute and second, Best Beloved, the smoke of the fire at the
back of the Cave came down in clouds from the roof--_puff!_--because it
remembered the bargain she had made with the Cat, and when it had
cleared away--lo and behold!--the Cat was sitting quite comfy close to
the fire.

'O my Enemy and Wife of my Enemy and Mother of My Enemy,' said the Cat,
'it is I, for you have spoken a second word in my praise, and now I can
sit by the warm fire at the back of the Cave for always and always and
always. But still I am the Cat who walks by himself, and all places are
alike to me.'

Then the Woman was very very angry, and let down her hair and put more
wood on the fire and brought out the broad blade-bone of the shoulder of
mutton and began to make a Magic that should prevent her from saying a
third word in praise of the Cat. It was not a Singing Magic, Best
Beloved, it was a Still Magic; and by and by the Cave grew so still that
a little wee-wee mouse crept out of a corner and ran across the floor.

'O my Enemy and Wife of my Enemy and Mother of my Enemy,' said the Cat,
'is that little mouse part of your magic?'

'Ouh! Chee! No indeed!' said the Woman, and she dropped the blade-bone
and jumped upon the footstool in front of the fire and braided up her
hair very quick for fear that the mouse should run up it.

'Ah,' said the Cat, watching, 'then the mouse will do me no harm if I
eat it?'

'No,' said the Woman, braiding up her hair, 'eat it quickly and I will
ever be grateful to you.'

Cat made one jump and caught the little mouse, and the Woman said, 'A
hundred thanks. Even the First Friend is not quick enough to catch
little mice as you have done. You must be very wise.'

That very moment and second, O Best Beloved, the Milk-pot that stood by
the fire cracked in two pieces--_ffft_--because it remembered the
bargain she had made with the Cat, and when the Woman jumped down from
the footstool--lo and behold!--the Cat was lapping up the warm white
milk that lay in one of the broken pieces.

'O my Enemy and Wife of my Enemy and Mother of my Enemy,' said the Cat,
'it is I; for you have spoken three words in my praise, and now I can
drink the warm white milk three times a day for always and always and
always. But _still_ I am the Cat who walks by himself, and all places
are alike to me.'

Then the Woman laughed and set the Cat a bowl of the warm white milk and
said,