The Story of a Cat

Rescued from a crowd of boys on a Paris street, Moumouth enters the household of a wealthy countess during the reign of Louis XV. Madame de la Grenouillère entrusts him to Mother Michel, her kindly maid and companion. Food, washing and a place by the fireside transform the battered street cat, but the steward, Father Lustucru, conceals his dislike beneath flattering words. The new pet soon becomes the focus of a dangerous household rivalry.

Emile de La Bédollière's children's tale gives its cat expressive eyes, sharp instincts and a gift for escaping trouble. Moumouth detects something wrong with a tempting dish, while Mother Michel struggles to understand his refusal. Translated by Thomas Bailey Aldrich and illustrated with silhouettes by L. Hopkins, the story combines comic exaggeration with concern for vulnerable animals. Its appeal lies in the contrast between openhearted care and calculated malice, played out around an unusually resourceful pet.