Kitty-cat tales

In Short

This collection of classic folklore and original fables centers on a young girl named Dolly, whose parents are away, leaving her in the care of a well-meaning but detached guardian. To soothe her loneliness, her black kitten, Impty, transforms into a storyteller each evening. Through these nightly sessions, the pair explores legendary tales—from "Puss-in-Boots" and "Dick Whittington" to the whimsical history of the "King of the Cats." The book survives as a charming artifact of domestic storytelling, capturing a quiet, imaginative refuge from the anxieties of childhood.

The Story

The narrative begins with Dolly, a solitary child left in the care of Miss Jane while her parents are away. Her evenings are defined by a sense of displacement until her pet, Impty—a black kitten with "round, yellow eyes"—begins speaking to her. Each night, Impty recounts a new tale, drawing Dolly into a world of magic and feline myth. These stories serve as a bridge between the girl's isolation and a larger, more adventurous reality.

The tales include the story of a Prince who, guided by a mysterious White Cat, performs impossible tasks to win his father’s kingdom. There is also the story of Chúgoro, a poor Japanese gardener whose kindness to a field-mouse leads him to a subterranean kingdom of mice and unexpected riches. Other nights feature more philosophical conflicts, such as the debate between a discontented cottage cat, a worldly magpie, and a wise owl regarding the relative merits of poverty and luxury. The cat, longing for the "buttered crumpets and cream" of a palace, eventually finds herself there, only to realize the peril of her ambition when she is chased away and forced to survive in the wild.

The collection also touches on legendary figures. We hear of the cat who married a mouse, a union that ends poorly due to the cat’s deceit and gluttony. We meet Mother Michel and her loyal companion Moumouth, whose lives are threatened by the jealous steward Lustucru. Through the intervention of a kind boy named Faribole, the cat is saved and eventually bequeathed a legacy, finding peace and prosperity. The final stories bring these themes to a close with the tale of Dick Whittington, whose cat’s success leads him to fortune and the mayoralty of London, and the supernatural legend of the King of the Cats, which reveals the secret, parallel society of felines.

Throughout these nights, the dialogue between Dolly and Impty evolves. Dolly begins as a child needing comfort and ends as a confident listener, eagerly anticipating her mother’s return. The kitten, meanwhile, acts as a bridge to a mythical "Cat-Land," promising that someday, when he is King, he will change the laws so that humans may visit his world without needing to transform their own nature. The book concludes with the simple, domestic joy of a child’s reunion with her parents, leaving the reader with the lingering sense that the world is far more magical than it appears to the adult eye.

How It Unfolds

The nocturnal vigil Dolly finds herself lonely and unable to sleep until her kitten, Impty, begins to speak. He establishes a nightly routine of storytelling that transforms the girl's bedroom into a space of wonder.

The cycle of folklore Each chapter presents a distinct myth or fable, ranging from the trials of a prince seeking his fortune to the clever schemes of Puss-in-Boots. These stories explore themes of loyalty, greed, and the consequences of one's actions in the animal kingdom.

The contrast of lives The narrative frequently moves between the cozy, safe bedroom of the child and the expansive, often dangerous world of the story-cat. By comparing the lives of palace pets with those of street cats, the book examines the nature of contentment and social status.

The resolution of the vigil As the nights pass, Dolly’s sadness fades, replaced by the warmth of her bond with Impty. The final chapters bring the tales to a satisfying close, promising that even when the storytelling stops, the magic remains.

The People

Dolly serves as the bridge between the reader and the narrative. Initially defined by her vulnerability and yearning for affection, she grows into a calm, imaginative listener through her relationship with the cat. Her emotional transformation is the book’s quiet anchor.

Impty is the catalyst for the narrative's magic. With his "long, thin legs" and solemn demeanor, he acts as a mentor and companion. He is not merely a pet but a representative of a secret, ancient lineage of cats, possessing a wisdom that balances the human limitations Dolly feels.

The secondary characters in the tales—such as the ambitious, then regretful cat who seeks a life of luxury, or the loyal and clever Moumouth—flesh out the themes of the book. These figures serve as moral touchstones, illustrating the dangers of vanity and the rewards of faithfulness. While they appear briefly, their struggles reflect the anxieties Dolly herself faces, providing a mirror for her own growth toward security and peace.

In Its Own Voice

"She was not at all sleepy, and, because Sandman had not come to shake his magic dust in her eyes, she had time to think what a lonely and very, very unhappy child she was."

This passage establishes the emotional stakes of the opening night as Dolly struggles with the absence of her parents.

"Instantly the girl sprang from her seat, and chased the mouse round and round the room, caught it, and would have eaten it, had not Venus turned her at once into a cat again, for she saw it was of no use, and that what was bred in the bone would always stick to the flesh."

This observation, delivered during a tale about a cat who wished to be human, highlights the book’s underlying argument about the permanence of nature.

What It's Really About

At its heart, the book is a meditation on the comfort found in fiction. It asks how children process loneliness and displacement, suggesting that imaginative play—represented here by the "story-journeys"—provides a vital emotional sanctuary. The book explores the tension between domestic safety and the wildness inherent in its animal protagonists. It argues that happiness is not a result of external circumstances, such as living in a palace or a cottage, but is instead found in connection and loyalty. By grounding its fantastical tales in the simple, nightly routine of a child going to bed, it suggests that stories are as essential to a child's health as "a drink of water" or a "lump of sugar."

Why Read It Today

Readers who appreciate gentle, old-fashioned storytelling will find this book a soothing experience. It feels like a relic of a slower time, where the primary purpose of a book was to provide warmth and a sense of wonder before sleep. It will especially appeal to anyone who has ever felt a deep, secret connection to a pet, or who understands the particular melancholy of childhood solitude.

However, the modern reader should be aware of its period attitudes. The book carries the hallmarks of early 20th-century children's literature, including a structured, sometimes formal tone and a moralizing tendency that might feel dated to some. The stories, while charming, follow traditional, sometimes grim fairy-tale logic—where a cat might catch and eat a mouse without hesitation—which reflects a less sanitized approach to nature than is common in contemporary children's books. Despite this, the writing remains precise and evocative. It leaves the reader with a lingering sense of the quiet, magical life that might be happening just out of sight, beneath the furniture or in the shadows of the garden, reminding us that there is always more to the world than what we can see for ourselves.