King of the Cats: And Other Feline Fairy Tales

by John Richard Stephens (Editor)

Thirty-six tales from around the world focus on cats and include works by Washington Irving, Charles Perrault, the Brothers Grimm, and Rudyard Kipling

Genres: Cats, Fiction, Animals, Fantasy, Fairy Tales, Anthologies, Short Stories

273 pages, Paperback

First published November 12, 1993

Reviews

[The Crimson Fucker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Today when I went to pick up some bacon at the mall Atiba was there… we started to argue (as a joke) and I pretend to be mad and told him, “well me and my cats are leaving…” and he asked me, “what cats?” And I showed him this book… and he told me, “don’t worry Alfonso, we all know you a pussy” and I told him to go fuck himself, and he told me that I even have a pussy tail (he was referring to my puffy tail) and I was so happy!!!!! Thank you Paper!!!

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was really well edited and quite readable as far as fairy tales go. Included were lots of new tales I'd never heard before. The translations were seamless and lovely to read. Found some new favorite fairy tales and some really boring ones, too! I'd check out more collections by John Richard Stephens.

[Rati Mehrotra · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful collection, recommended if you love cats, and love fairy tales. The stories range from the well-known (various versions of Puss in Boots, for instance) to lesser known ones, and it is these I enjoyed the most. The original versions of fairy tales are often rather amoral and ambiguous, although a common thread seems to be that if you are poor, and desperate, and hungry, and yet you give your last bit of food to a cat, or place your trust in a cat, then your luck will most certainly turn.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a thoroughly enjoyable collection of cat-related stories from around the world. Even Japan, Northern Africa, Persia, and Iceland had tales to offer; otherwise, most were European, and a couple of more modern North American ones. I rather enjoyed that each story had a short introduction from the author about where the story came from and a bit of history about it (but then, I rather like when stories are tied back historically to their origins). It was interesting to see which stories were so obviously passed down orally, as they were often the shortest, and which ones were more literary – the first of note being “The White Cat” from France, as it was around 30 pages in this collection, and the sheer number of fine details regarding the scenes in addition to the stories would have been very difficult to pass down in the whole.

Favorite quotes and quotes to comment on:
People are too apt to reproach those who beg with being idle, but give themselves no concern to put them in the way of getting business to do, or considering whether they are able to do it, which is not charity. – page 29

“…we could not free ourselves till we had done some kindly deed that had never been wrought before. My mother died without ever finding a chance of doing anything new, [but I found the chance with you].” – page 187 – This is so sad!

“Everything in its time. A little passion today, a little rest and reflection tomorrow—each is good in its way.” – page 226

“If there should turn up a sensible, righteous, and handsome man who has a good income and wishes to take the maiden to wife regardless of her poverty, solely moved by her beauty, […]” – page 236-247 – “solely moved by her beauty” – yeah, I don’t like the sound of that. But quite fitting with the times, I imagine (mid-1800s).

“That’s the trouble with being in love […] it’s apt to make people selfish, and it should make them love and remember everybody. It does when it’s the real thing.” – page 273

The tanner was mad clear through, and he cried out, “He’s a wizard; he ought to be killed,” because some people can’t see others controlling themselves without thinking there’s something wrong with them. – page 274

Amusing/interesting word choices:
…word was sent to the king that one of his wives was enceinte… -- page 138 – A tale from India, written by someone I assume to not be French (Rev. J. Hinton Knowles), but using the French word “enceinte” instead of the English “pregnant”

Now, before he had time to think, Cupid had entangled him in his net, … -- page 157 – Intriguing that Cupid is referred to in a tale from Japan (of note: the tale comes as relayed by a German who compiled a book of Japanese fairytales and stories)

In the story “Owney and Owney-na-Peak,” from Ireland, I found it curious which few words Mr. Stephens opted to give us a translation (from Irish-Gaelic to English) in the footnotes, when there were quite a few more that I would have liked to see a translation/explanation for, such as “keoh,” “mort,” “gomeril”.

“…while I get the touch-wood read.” – page 255 – I’m not familiar with that term for wood for a fire. Interesting!

Typos:
You have don’t have to do anything – page 10 – remove the “have” right after “you”

Every morning when the sun fished the shadows of the night with his bait of light and gold the cat made her way to the sea shore at Chiaja, and watch for an opportunity of catching a large gold fish. – page 15 – “watch” should be “watched”

… the most magnificent castle th at could ever be imagined. – page 65 – extra space inside of “that”

…but on entering a antechamber entirely… -- page 66 – “a” should be “an” as it precedes a vowel

…the pleasure of choosing the fruit on the tree, an then gathering it. – page 83 – “an” should be “and”

I’m am an old fence, … -- page 142 – Should either be “I’m” or “I am” not the way it is written.

…that she never set eves upon the man himself. – page 171 – “eves” should be “eyes” – this does not seem to be an ink error, either, but a character error.

“How good of you net to forget me when…” – page 178 “net” should be “not”

…answered the cat, “laying her paw on her mistress’s arm. Crying never does any good. […] – page 183 – Opening quotations should be right before Crying, not before laying.

…they had no horses, cows or cats Their only pets and helpers… -- page 188 – missing a period after cats/before Their.

I am going through the forest of Gnomes […] Where are you going, brother?” – page 210 -- missing opening quotation marks

…satin-damask which h e had at home… -- page 235 – extra space in between the letters of “he”

…[the ball] came down bounce upon the other side – page 253 – I’m not sure if this is a typo or not, but I’m not sure about the presence of “bounce” in this sentence. It could not be, but it seems like a strange wording even given the publication in the early 1900s.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love cats and fairy tales, this is the book for you. A lot of well known and not so well known stories are here along with a few details about the author if any were able to be found. A lovely book with lovely stories.

[Riana · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful collection with a mixture of dark, heartwarming, and fun stories and parables. Many of the stories featured long journeys, old ladies, princesses, romance, and the love of a loyal cat.

[Neil · Rating 5 out of 5]

While on the road this summer, in need of a book to read to the kids at bedtime, we found The King of the Cats at Michael's Used Books in Bellingham, Washington (a tremendous bookstore for browsing--if only the prices weren't so high as to remove most of the temptation). We enjoyed a story or two most nights from then till now, and we loved the collection. John Richard Stephens searched all over for any fairy tales that feature a cat, and the result is a collection of familiar, unfamiliar, and sometimes altogether strange. Old favorites like "Dick Whittington" and "Puss in Boots" are expected, of course, but what I liked best about this volume was the international variants on the familiar stories. Stephens includes several versions of stories that are more or less the same as "Puss in Boots," for example, from different countries and time periods, and the reader gets to enjoy the little differences between all the versions. Other stories were entirely unfamiliar to me, and it was fun to see the typical fairy tale elements arranged in unfamiliar--sometimes jarring--configurations. Stephens doesn't clean up the stories that he presents, and so there are occasional horrid details (such as a girl's feet being chopped off and stuffed in the giant's pocket). In general, I'm in favor of leaving in the grotesque, even when reading the stories aloud to children (though the feet-chopping incident was truly horrifying), so these stories were just right for our family.

The cover design of the dustjacket is beautifully done, with a mat-finish vintage look. If the typos inside the book had been fixed before this printing, then it would be perfect. But even so, this will be a favorite collection in our family of ailurophiles.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting read and the parallels from different cultures is equally fascinating.