The Cat That Walked by Himself.
(after Rudyard Kipling)
Part I
This happened many thousands of years ago when all the animals were wild. The Dog was wild, and the Horse was wild, and the Cow was wild, and the Sheep was wild, and the Pig was wild, as wild as wild could be, and they walked alone in the wild woods. But the wildest of all wild animals was the Cat. He walked by himself, and all places were alike to him.
Of course the Man was wild too. He was very wild. But he didn't think about it till he met the Woman, and she told him that she did not like living in his wild ways1. She found a nice cave, and she made a nice fire of wood at the back of the cave. She hung a Wild Horse skin2 across the opening of the cave, and she said, "Wipe your feet, dear, when you come in."
That night the Woman cooked a very tasty dinner. They ate roasted meat and wild rice. Then the Man went to sleep in front of the fire. He was very happy. But the Woman didn't sleep. She put more wood in the fire, and started singing magic songs. She made the first Singing Magic in the world.
In the wild woods all the wild animals could see the light of the fire a long way off, and they didn't know what it was.
Wild Horse asked: "Oh, my friends and my enemies, why did the Man and the Woman make that great light in that great cave, and is it good or bad for us?"
