Pagina 146 de 274

A Cat fell in love with a handsome young man, and begged the

goddess Venus to change her into a woman. Venus was very gracious

about it, and changed her at once into a beautiful maiden, whom

the young man fell in love with at first sight and shortly

afterwards married. One day Venus thought she would like to see

whether the Cat had changed her habits as well as her form; so

she let a mouse run loose in the room where they were. Forgetting

everything, the young woman had no sooner seen the mouse than up

she jumped and was after it like a shot: at which the goddess was

so disgusted that she changed her back again into a Cat.

THE CROW AND THE SWAN