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Storytelling Week 4: The not so Lean Cat

Author's Note: In Bidpai's story, the lean cat meets the fat cat, who hears his story about how he got so fat. The fat cat has been stealing scraps from the king’s table. The lean cat develops a huge interest in this, and seeks out food from the king’s table. This fable goes into how the lean cat's master did not want the lean cat to go to the kings palace, for surely the lean cat would get caught. And the king had just issued a decree that if he caught a cat stealing food from his table that he would make sure that the cat got hung.

In the original story, he gets caught stealing food from the king's table. I thought this was no fun, and am going to rewrite the ending of the story on how the lean cat actually got away. I wanted to try to create a story where the cat got rewarded by his master for bring food home, and give a happy ending. This is the original image from Bidpai's story that I have included, because I thought it did a really good job of helping me imagine what the lean cat would look like.

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As the fat cat turned away, the lean cat was not to be discouraged. He could smell the food in front of him, more food than he had ever seen in his life. He had heard the king's decree, that any cat caught stealing food from his table would be hung. But, desperation prevailed, and the lean cat could not turn away from such delicious smells. 

As he approached the dining hall, he remained in the shadows. He knew how risky this was, and wanted to make sure that he would not get caught. He also wanted to make sure he got the most food possible. As he scanned the table, trying to decide what he wanted, he spied an entire roasted chicken. He knew it was ambitious, to escape with an entire chicken, but once he had laid his eyes on it, he could not turn away. That could feed him and his master for a week! He decided that that is what he would try to take. 

The cat watched the servants carefully, trying to monitor their movements, and decide when the best time to strike would be. The king had not yet been seated, but that would be soon so the cat knew his time was running out. As soon as the servant in front of him exited the room, the cat bounced on top of the table. He had it! The chicken was in his mouth. As he was about to jump down, he heard shouting behind him. He had been seen! Quickly, motivated by the fear of death, he jumped down and scurried away to where the servants could not find him. 

The Lean Cat

Source: UnTextbook

He had done it! He had the chicken and was outside of the gates. As he made his way home, he could not stop thinking about how excited his master would be when he delivered an entire chicken to her. Upon arriving at his doorstep, he bounded inside to see his masters face light up. "Wonderful" she exclaimed, both excited for the food and that her cat had returned to her, for she thought that surely her cat would be killed. 

After this successful run, the lean cat was no longer the lean cat, he joined the other cats and became quite fat. He was an expert at stealing food from the masters table, and did it on a regular basis. His master was more than taken care of, and both had never been happier. 

Bibliography: This story is based on Bidpai's story The Lean Cat and the Fat Cat, written by Bidpai and published by Maude Barrows in 1908. Link

Week 4 Reading Diary Continued: Bidpai

Fables of Bidpai by Bidpai

Fox tricks hare and wolf into a trap. Bird tricks a man into killing a snake because the snake at his babies. Man his whip envy which is actually a snake. Snake then bites and kills him. A fox tricks an adder to crawl back into a bag instead of biting anyone. Tortoise is holding onto stick with his mouth between two geese, people make fun of him, he opens his mouth to retort and dies from the fall. Old crane carries fish to another pond, but actually eats them. Crab strangles the crane upon learning this. Lean cat dies whenever he tries to eat from the kings table. Crow forgets how to walk when trying to learn how to walk like a partridge.

An image from the Tortoise and the Geese

Source: UnTextbook

Week 4 Reading Diary: Bidpai

Fables of Bidpai by Bidpai

Nightingale reveals pot of gold to man who rescues him. King is trying to drink out of a stream, falcon knocks cup out of his hand twice, so the kind kills the falcon. Dead dragon at the top of the stream, poisoned entire stream, falcon was saving him. Man does what stone tells him to do, is made kind of the city. Man envies to be a raven and have someone feed him. Merchant holds a boy hostage in exchange for the iron that the friend stole from him. It is better to have a wise enemy than a foolish friend, as the bear kills the man. Prince is crowned king after living as a hermit. Ape tries to split wood, gets it's tail caught. Man makes a trap for a fox, actually catches a leopard, which then kills him.

Maharaja of Indore

Source: UnTextbook