English / A2
The King o’ the Cats
One winter evening, a woman sat beside the fire. Her big black cat, Old Tom, sat near her. They were waiting for her husband. He worked at the church and dug graves, the holes where people put dead bodies.
At last, he ran into the house. “Who is Tom Tildrum?” he asked.
“What is wrong?” his wife said. “Why do you ask?”
“I saw something very strange. I was digging a grave. I think I fell asleep. Then I woke up when I heard a cat.”
“Meow!” said Old Tom.
“Yes, like that!” said the man. “I looked up. Nine black cats were coming towards me. They all had a white mark on their chest, just like Tom.”
He told his wife more. Eight cats carried a small box for a dead body. A black cloth covered it. On the cloth was a little gold crown. The biggest cat walked in front.
“Every three steps, they all cried, ‘Meow!’”
“Meow!” said Old Tom again.
“Yes, like that! Their eyes shone green. They came closer and closer. Look at our cat! He seems to understand me.”
“Go on,” said his wife.
“The cats stopped in front of the grave. The biggest cat spoke to me! It said, ‘Tell Tom Tildrum that Tim Toldrum is dead.’ But I don’t know Tom Tildrum. How can I tell him?”
“Look at Old Tom!” his wife cried.
Their cat was staring at the man. Suddenly, he spoke too.
“What? Tim Toldrum is dead? Then I’m the new King of the Cats!” The message was for Old Tom. He was Tom Tildrum!
He ran up the chimney, the opening above the fire. They never saw him again.
English summary · includes the ending
On a winter evening, a woman and her black cat, Old Tom, wait by the fire for her husband. He finally rushes home asking who Tom Tildrum is. While digging a grave, he thinks he fell asleep and woke to a cat’s cry.
He saw nine black cats approaching with a small coffin. Eight carried it, while the largest walked in front. A golden crown lay on its black covering, and the cats cried together every third step. As he describes their cries, Old Tom repeatedly answers with a meow.
The leading cat told the man to tell Tom Tildrum that Tim Toldrum was dead. The man cannot deliver the message because he does not know Tom Tildrum.
Suddenly, Old Tom speaks. Learning of Tim’s death, he declares that he is now the King of the Cats. He rushes up the chimney and is never seen again.
Adapted for Lejrbål from the credited source.
Read the source