The Adventures of Caterwaul the Cat Read Online Free PDF Page B

I think it goes perfectly with our theme for the day.” She broke into a roar.
    After she had time to compose herself, she asked, “What other mischief did you get into on your visit to the village? You know how much I love to hear of your adventures.”
    â€œWell, I don’t mean to brag, your highness, but I took a bit of liberty in giving the bride a new hairstyle. It’s a bit radical, but I trust that your majesty will approve,” said the commander with an evil grin.
    â€œOh?” she inquired. “And what new coiffure did you leave her with? A bouffant, a beehive, a flattop, or worse? A Mohawk perhaps?”
    â€œNone of the above, my queen,” he said with a laugh. “I am afraid my cosmetological skills leave something to be desired. I couldn’t decide what to do, so I just took it all.” He tossed her a leather bag. She reached inside and pulled out several handfuls of long, red hair.
    She was positively giddy. “Excellent! Now she will really look like an egg! My dear Warwick, you really are a devil. I’m afraid that the count and his fiancée are really going to have to ‘scramble’ if they are to have any hope whatsoever of saving this wedding.”

4

    Vanity’s Curse
    â€œI hate these mirrors!” the queen shouted one morning. She hurried across the room from her mirror to a bookshelf. “What is it, my queen?” asked the cat.
    â€œWhy is it that every day when I look at one of those wretched things, the only things I see are more wrinkles and furrows and unwanted hairs in unwanted places?” She took a book of magic spells from the bookshelf and thumbed through its contents. She threw it down and grabbed another, and yet another after that.
    â€œNothing!” she wailed dejectedly. “None of my books have even one spell to slow the aging process, much less anything to restore my former youth and beauty.”
    â€œWell, of course not, your majesty,” the cat retorted. “To do that would require some heavy-duty magic, a magic of the black variety, if you know what I mean. In order to turn back the hands of time and restore you to the way you once were would require access to the kind of magic that only a very powerful witch or wizard would possess.”
    â€œWhy Caterwaul, my love, you were once enthralled to a witch. You told me yourself that while you were with her you learned quite a bit of magic. Do you possess the necessary skills to restore my lost beauty?”
    â€œI am afraid not, my queen,” he said. “That kind of mischief is way out of my league. Even if I did have that kind of power, I would be afraid to use it. Trust me. There are some forces in this world that are just not worth trifling with.”
    â€œA pity,” she lamented, “because I would give anything, perhaps even my entire kingdom, to possess that knowledge.” She stroked Caterwaul’s fur, and the cat purred contentedly. “Take you, for example. You are a cat and you are beautiful and you will keep hold of that beauty for nine lives.
    â€œIf only there was a spell that could give me that kind of beauty and longevity. Just imagine that, Caterwaul. How wonderful would it be if I, Druciah, could rule the land for nine lifetimes, the most beautiful and powerful of queens ever to walk the earth? I would be virtually immortal.”
    Caterwaul briefly considered explaining to her that the whole “nine-lives” thing was actually more of an expression than something to be taken literally, but then he thought better of it. She was in a terrible mood, and there was no use in upsetting her further.
    â€œOh, why can’t I be beautiful again, my pet? I really would give anything to not have to see what I’ve become every time I look in a mirror. Is there anything that you can do, anything at all to help me?”
    â€œWell,” he said joking, “I suppose I could put a curse on all the