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Title: The Nine Lives of A Cat: A Tale of Wonder

Author: Charles H. Bennett

Release date: November 4, 2007 [eBook #23318]

Language: English

Credits: Produced by Louise Hope and The Online Distributed
Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was
produced from images generously made available by The
Internet Archive/American Libraries.)

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE NINE LIVES OF A CAT: A TALE OF WONDER ***





NINE LIVES OF A CAT by CHARLES BENNETT

 

FRONTISPIECE

 

THE NINE LIVES OF A CAT / A Tale of Wonder by Charles Bennett. / Author of 'Shadows' / London / Griffith and Farran. / Corner of St Pauls' Churchyard. 1860.

 

PREFACE

T T HIS tale of wonder is told for children; with which view, it has been carefully designed and very nicely printed.

For some time past, it has arrived at the dignity of a popular Nursery Tale in the Author’s family; and it is hoped it will merit the same good fortune elsewhere.

It will be worth while explaining, that the circle in each page is made to represent some object in connection with the story; and, that as some of them have proved rather puzzling, to Juvenile admirers has been left the task of “finding them out.”

 

London, 1859.

roof

 

 

 

OW many Lives has the Cat got?

NINE!

But when she was young,

Poor Kitty was hung;

So how many Lives has the Cat got?

 
 
Y

 

ES, Kitty was hung

When she was so young;

But, as you would hope,

She pulled a knife out of her side-
pocket, and before you could
count One, Two, Three,
cut right through the rope.

 
 

 

 

OW many Lives has the Cat got?

EIGHT!

But, when she was rounder,

A boy tried to drown her;

So how many Lives has the Cat got?

 
 
Y

 

ES, a boy tried to drown her

When fatter and rounder,

But, as you would wish,

She slipped the stone off her neck,
and before you could count,
One, Two, Three, swam
like a fish.

 
 

 

 
 

OW many Lives has the Cat got?

SEVEN!

But, as I have learnt,

Poor Pussy was burnt.

So how many Lives has the Cat got?

 
Y

 

 

ES, Pussy was burnt,

As I too have learnt;

But, as you will read,

She jumped into the water-butt before
you could count, One, Two,
Three; she did, indeed!

 

 

 
 

OW many Lives has the Cat got?

SIX!

But she fell off the house,

Running after a mouse;

So how many Lives has the Cat got?

 
 
Y

 

ES, she fell off the house

Running after a mouse;

But, as life is sweet,

Before you could count One, Two,
Three, she came on her feet.

 

 

 
 

OW many Lives has the Cat got?

FIVE!

But I hear she has not;

For they say she was shot.

So how many Lives has the Cat got?

 
 

ES, with a gun she was shot,

And a trigger it had got,

I saw the man pull it;

But Pussy held up her paws like the Wizard of the North, and before you could count, One, Two, Three, caught the Bullet.

 

 

 
 

OW many Lives has the Cat got?

FOUR!

But people all say

She was poison’d one day;

So how many Lives has the Cat got?

 
Y

 

ES, it’s true, people say

She was poison’d one day,

And very much it shock’d her;

But the moment she felt ill, and before you
could count One, Two, Three,
she was off to the Doctor.

 

 
 

OW many Lives has the Cat got?

THREE!

But then the old wall

Crush’d her in its fall.

So how many Lives has the Cat got?

 
 
 

ES, I know the old wall

Flatten’d Puss in its fall,

And a dozen of her fellows;

But Pussy walked sideways into the kitchen, and before you could count One, Two, Three, blew herself out with the bellows.

 

 

 
 

OW many Lives has the Cat got?

TWO!

But, bit by a dog,

She is dead as a log.

So how many Lives has the Cat got?

 
Y

 

ES, bit by a dog,

But not dead as a log,

As you’ll gladly find;

For she climbed up the apple-tree before
you could count One, Two, Three,
and left the dog behind.

 

 

 
 

OW many Lives has the Cat got?

ONE!

But then she’s grown old,

And has caught a bad cold;

So how many Lives has the Cat got?

 
Y

 

ES, she has grown old,

And has caught a bad cold,

Only bread and milk she touches,

Except a little gruel, but she burns a great
deal of fuel, and you may count,
One, Two, Three, a great many times,
while she hobbles across the room on her
crutches.

 

 

 
 

OW many Lives has the Cat got?

NONE!

Is it true then, as they said,

That poor old Puss is dead,

So many lives as she’d got?

 
Y

 

ES, the song has all been said,

And poor old Puss is dead,

Let it never be forgot;

Although not One, Two, Three, but
Nine Lives she had got.

 
 
main picture

 

TAILPIECE

 




 

In the original book, the illustrations appeared on facing pages:

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page 17 thumbnail page 18 thumbnail