The Master Cat
The Master Cat — an illustrated tales story. 10 illustrated pages, free to read on Wonder Tales.
Page 1
In a crystal cave that echoed with lost melodies lived three brothers: Sir Reginald, the boastful knight; Bartholomew, the wealthy merchant; and Hans, the youngest, inheriting only Mitzi, a cat of mysterious cleverness. Their father's will had divided his possessions unevenly, leaving Hans to wonder if fortune favored only the bold and the rich. But the crystal cave held secrets, and Mitzi was more than just a cat.
Page 2
Hans sighed, stroking Mitzi's soft fur. "What good is a cat, Mitzi? Reginald has the land, Bartholomew the gold, and I... I have echoes." Mitzi purred, her emerald eyes gleaming. She leaped from his lap and stretched, then spoke, her voice smooth as silk, "Patience, Hans. I have a plan, but you must trust me implicitly."
Page 3
"The king loves rare birds," Mitzi declared, twirling her tail. "I overheard it from the bats, when I went to look for food yesterday. Gather some of the cave's luminous mushrooms, tell the guards you have a gift for the king, and I'll do the rest." Hans, though skeptical, trusted the cat's strange wisdom. He gathered the glowing mushrooms, their light casting an ethereal glow on his face.
Page 4
At the castle, Mitzi strutted ahead, a proud glint in her emerald eyes. She presented the mushrooms, claiming they were from a rare species found only on the 'Marquis of Carabas' lands.' The king, Alaric, a jovial man with a booming laugh, was immediately intrigued. "Carabas, you say? I've never heard of such a title!" he bellowed. Hans bowed deeply, keeping his true name a secret.
Page 5
Mitzi continued her charade, leading the king on a hunt through the nearby fields, claiming them, too, belonged to the 'Marquis of Carabas.' Farmers, intimidated by Mitzi's sharp claws and persuasive whispers, played along. Bartholomew, observing from a distance, scoffed. "Foolish peasants. Gold is the only true measure of worth."
Page 6
News of the 'Marquis of Carabas' wealth reached the ears of a reclusive ogre who lived in a nearby fortress, scaring the local village people. Mitzi, bold as ever, approached the fortress alone. "I hear you can transform into any creature," she purred, flattering the ogre. "But surely, even you cannot become something as small as a mouse."
Page 7
The ogre, consumed by pride, readily transformed into a tiny mouse. In a flash, Mitzi pounced, ending the ogre's reign of terror. When the king arrived, Mitzi presented the fortress as yet another holding of the 'Marquis of Carabas.' "Indeed," Hans said, remembering a quote. "As Franklin once said, nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal, nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude".
Page 8
King Alaric, thoroughly impressed, offered Hans the hand of his daughter, the princess, and a place beside him on the throne. Reginald and Bartholomew, witnessing Hans's sudden rise, were filled with envy and regret. "We judged him too quickly," Reginald muttered. "We valued the wrong things," Bartholomew admitted, clutching his gold less tightly.
Page 9
Hans, now a prince, never forgot his humble beginnings. He ruled with kindness and wisdom, remembering the lessons learned in the crystal cave. Mitzi, ever at his side, continued to offer her clever counsel. He understood that true wealth lay not in land or gold, but in the ability to see the value in the seemingly worthless.
Page 10
And so, Hans, the youngest brother, once considered the least, proved that cleverness and kindness are worth more than land or gold, and that even a seemingly ordinary cat can be the master of one's destiny. The crystal cave, no longer a place of echoes, resonated with the melody of a just and prosperous kingdom.
About this story
- Audience: kids (ages 6–12)
Questions and answers
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