high dignity of attendant on a Queen! It is
true, I was rather mortified to think that my elevation was due more
to a mere combination of circumstances than to any merit of my own; but
I consoled myself with the reflection that mine was not a solitary
example, and that if we animals refused to enjoy the goods of fortune
when they were thrown in our way, because we did not happen exactly to
deserve them, there would be very few beasts who could enjoy anything
at all.

His Majesty Don Tomas was ambitious of renown; and no sooner found
himself upon the throne, than he proceeded to make a great many changes
and reforms, which, though certainly very necessary, were far from
pleasing to his subjects.

Her Majesty Dona Tomas was ambitious, too, but _her_ reforms produced a
very contrary effect; for as they referred to the dress of the female
sex, which she laboured to make as showy and attractive as possible,
every alteration was received with enthusiasm, and the more frequent
the changes, the greater they were liked. She spent whole days in
considering the propriety of long and short waists; she had many
sleepless nights in thinking over some new fashion for a cloak; and the
quantity of bonnets she spoiled before she got one to her mind, would
have covered the heads of half the female inhabitants of Norsarque. The
one she selected at last, curiously enough, did not cover the head at
all, but sticking up in a very pretty way at the back of the neck,
allowed the whole head to be visible. It was natural enough that the
young Pussies, who had pretty faces and glossy hair, should think a
fashion--which permitted them to show both to the admiring gaze of
passers-by--a most delightful one; but it seemed strange to me at first
that the old and ugly Cats should adopt it so eagerly. On thinking a
second time, however, my surprise vanished; for, in the first place,
you never could convince a Cat that she was _not_ pretty or graceful or
attractive in some way; and secondly, no female Cat ever seemed to know
when she was old.

These were some of the brilliant days of my existence; but, alas! the
most brilliant are always those which fade away the quickest. I said
that the reforms of His Majesty were not received with the same pleasure
as those carried out by the Queen. He had the good sense to observe that
they were not liked; but was too proud to withdraw them when he had once
declared that they should be carried through. Discontent i