Belindella And The Fortune In Cats

Once upon a time, a young girl called Belindella inherited a 100 cats.

The cats had belonged to her Aunt Habitha who, because she had not been able to have any children had lived with the cats instead, giving them all names and treating them just like her babies.

And with the cats her Aunt had left a note,

“Please take good care of these cats and I’m sure, as cats are very lucky, they will bring you good fortune”, it said.

Of course, Belindella wasn’t happy about having to look after all her late Aunts cats especially when she saw her Aunts other relatives inherit her house, her money and her other property.

And the girls father and mother weren’t happy either about having the cats in their house.

“We haven’t room for all those cats”, her mother complained, “They’ll tear up all my lovely furniture and make a terrible mess. No, you’ll just have to take them to market and try to sell them”.

And so Belindella put the cats onto her father’s horsecart and she rode to market with them and in the market place, she shouted,

“Cats! Cats! Cats of all colours, all shapes, all sizes and kinds. Perfect for pets. Get your cats here”.

However, much to Belindellas dismay, no one wanted to buy her cats and so, shrugging and sighing, she got back onto the cart and started to ride home.

But as she was on her way home she passed by a village from which she heard a terrible commotion and, riding into the village she saw crowds of people milling about with frowning faces and weeping women and children.

“Whatever is wrong”, she asked a little boy who was nearby, “Why are all the people in your village so unhappy?”.

“Because we have an infestation of Rats”, said the Boy, “Rats in the houses, rats in the barns, rats in the church and the schoolhouse. We just can’t get rid of them”.

Hearing this, Belinda smiled.

“Well then”, she said, “Perhaps I might be able to help”.

And, saying this, she started to unload all her cats from the back of her father’s cart and as soon as they smelled the rats they knew instinctively what to do, running around the village chasing the rats and gobbling them all up.

“Oh thank you so much”, said the Mayor of the village when the last of the cats had eaten the last of the rats, “However can we repay you”.

“Well”, said Belindella, “Perhaps the people of your village would like to buy my cats”.

And that is just what happened; Belindella sold all of her cats to the people of the village, all except one with a stripy marmalade coloured coat and bright green eyes which she kept for herself.

And when she went back home to her parents they were both astonished to see all the money she had made.

“It seems Aunt Habithas cats did bring me good fortune after all”, she said