512 NURSERY RHYMES.

 

him, saying, “ He could not pass so near his castle, without having
the honour of paying his respects to him.”

The ogre received him as civilly as an ogre could do, and made
him sit down.

“T have been assured,” said the cat, “that you have the gift of
being able to change yourself into all sorts of creatures you have
a mind to. You can, for example, transform yourself into a lion
or elephant, and the like?”

“This is true,’ answered the ogre, very briskly ; ‘“‘and to con-
vince you, you shall see me now become a lion.”

Puss was so sadly terrified at the sight of a lion so near him,
that he immediately got into the gutter, not without great trouble
and danger because of his boots, which were of no use at all to
him in walking upon the tiles. A little while after, when Puss
saw that the ogre had resumed his natural form, he came down,
and owned that he had been very much frightened.

“T have been moreover informed,” said the cat, “but I know
not how to believe it, that you have also the power to take upon
you the smallest animals—for example, to change yourself into
a rat or a mouse; but I must own to you I take this to be im-
possible.”

“Impossible!” cried the ogre: “you shall see that presently,”
—and at the same time changed himself into a mouse, and began
to run about the floor. Puss no sooner perceived this, but he fell
upon and ate him up.

Meanwhile the King, who saw as he passed this fine castle of
the ogre’s, had a mind to go into it. Puss, who heard the noise
of His Majesty’s coach running over the drawbridge, ran out, and