The Cat That Walked By Herself

Long, long ago the Woman was able to tame the Man and to tame the Wild Dog, Horse, and Cow, and how the Wild Cat, the wildest of all the wild animals, remains independent to this very day. This bedtime story, written by Rudyard Kipling, was published in 1902 as a part of the “Just So Stories” together with his illustration.

Transcript

Good evening.

My name is Gerald Blomile and tonight I'm going to tell you a story of how long,

Long ago the woman was able to tame the man and to tame the wild dog,

Horse and cow,

And how wild cat,

The wildest of all the wild animals,

Remains independent to this very day.

The cat that walked by herself was written by Rudyard Kipling and it was published in 1902 as part of the Just So stories.

Hear and attend and listen.

For this befell and happened and was,

Oh my best beloved,

When the tame animals were wild.

The dog was wild and the horse was wild and the cow was wild,

As wild as wild could be,

And they walked in the wet wild woods by their wild lone.

But the wildest of all the wild animals was the cat.

She walked by herself and all places were alike to her.

Of course the man was wild too.

He was dreadfully wild.

He didn't even begin to be tame until he met the woman and she told him that she did not like living in his wild ways.

She picked out a nice dry cave instead of a heap of wet leaves to lie down in and she strewed clean sand on the floor and she lit a nice fire of wood at the back of the cave and she hung a dried wild horse skin tail down across the opening of the cave and she said wipe your feet dear when you come in and now we'll keep house.

That night,

Best beloved,

They ate wild sheep roasted on the hot stones and flavored with wild garlic and wild pepper.

Then the man went to sleep in front of the fire,

Ever so happy,

But the woman sat up combing her hair and waiting.

Out in the wet wild woods all the wild animals gathered together where they could see the light of the fire a long way off and they wondered what it meant.

Wild dog lifted up his wild nose and smelt the smell of roast mutton and said I will go up and see and look and say for I think it is good.

Cat come with me.

Nay,

Nay,

Said the cat.

I am the cat who walks by herself and all places are alike to me.

I will not come.

Then we can never be friends again said wild dog and he trotted off to the cave.

But when he had gone a little way the cat said to herself all places are alike to me why should I not go to and see and look and come away at my own liking.

So she slipped after wild dog softly,

Very softly and hid herself where she could hear everything.

When wild dog reached the mouth of the cave he lifted up the dried horse skin with his nose and sniffed the beautiful smell of roast mutton and the woman heard him and laughed and said here comes the first wild thing out of the wild woods what do you want?

Wild dog said oh my enemy and wife of my enemy what is this that smells so good in the wild woods?

Then the woman picked up a roasted mutton bone and threw it to wild dog and said taste and try.

Wild dog gnawed the bone and it was more delicious than anything he had ever tasted and he said oh my enemy and wife of my enemy give me another.

The woman said help my man to hunt through the day and guard this cave at night and I will give you as many roast bones as you need.

Ah said the cat listening this is a very wise woman but she is not so wise as I am.

Wild dog crawled into the cave and laid his head on the woman's lap and said oh my friend and wife of my friend I will help your man to hunt through the day and at night I will guard your cave.

Ah said the cat listening that is a very foolish dog and she went back through the wet wild woods waving her wild tail and walking by her wild lung but she never told anybody.

When the man woke up he said what is wild dog doing here and the woman said his name is not wild dog anymore but first friend because he will be our friend for always and always and always.

Take him with you when you go hunting.

Next night the woman cut great green armfuls of fresh grass from the water meadows and dried it before the fire so that it smelled like new mown hay and she sat at the mouth of the cave and plaited a whole tour out of horse hide and waited.

Out in the wet wild woods all the wild animals wondered what had happened to wild dog and at last wild horse stamped with his foot and sniffed the air and said I will go and see and say why wild dog has not returned.

Cat come with me.

Nanny said the cat but all the same she followed wild horse softly very softly and hid herself where she could hear everything.

When the woman heard wild horse tripping and stumbling on his long mane she laughed and said here comes the second.

Wild thing out of the wild woods what do you want?

Wild horse said oh my enemy and wife of my enemy where is wild dog?

The woman laughed you did not come here for wild dog but for the sake of this good grass.

And wild horse tripping and stumbling on his long mane said that that is true give it to me to eat.

The woman said bend your wild head and wear what I will give you and you shall eat the wonderful grass three times a day.

Ah said the cat listening this is a clever woman but she is not so clever as I am.

Wild horse bent his wild head and the woman slipped the plaited hide halter over it and wild horse breathed on the woman's feet and said oh my mistress and wife of my master I will be your servant for the sake of the wonderful grass.

Ah said the cat listening that is a very foolish horse and she went back through the wet wild woods waving her wild tail and walking by her wild lone but she never told anybody.

When the man and the dog came back from hunting the man said what is wild horse doing here?

And the woman said his name is not wild horse anymore but first servant because he will carry us from place to place for always and always and always right on his back when you go hunting.

Next day wild cow came up to the cave and the cat followed and everything happened just the same as before and when wild cow had promised to give her milk to the woman every day in exchange for the wonderful grass the cat went back through the wet wild woods waving her wild tail and walking by her wild lone just the same as before.

When the man and the horse and the dog came home from hunting no said the woman her name is not wild cow anymore but giver of good food she will give us the warm white milk for always and always and always and I will take care of her while you and the first friend and the first servant go hunting.

Next day the cat waited to see if any other wild thing would go up to the cave but no one moved in the wet wild woods so the cat walked there by herself and she saw the woman milking the cow and she saw the light of the fire in the cave and she smelled the smell of the warm white milk.

Cat said oh my enemy and wife of my enemy where did wild cow go?

The woman laughed and said wild thing out of the wild woods go back to the woods again we have no more need for either friends or servants in our cave.

Cat said I am not a friend and I am not a servant I am the cat who walks by herself and I wish to come into your cave.

Then the woman laughed and said you are the cat who walks by herself and all places are alike to you you're neither a friend nor a servant you have said it yourself go away and walk by yourself in all places alike.

Then cat pretended to be sorry and said must I never come into the cave?

Must I never sit by the warm fire?

Must I never drink the warm white milk?

You are very wise and very beautiful you should not be cruel even to a cat.

Woman said I knew I was wise but but I didn't know I was beautiful so I will make a bargain with you if ever I say one word in your prayers you may come into the cave and if you say two words in my prayers said the cat I never shall said the woman but if I say two words in your prayers you may sit by the fire in the cave and if you say three words said the cat that I never shall said the woman but if I say three words in your prayers you may drink the warm white milk three times a day for always and always and always.

Then the cat arched her back and said now let the curtain at the mouth of the cave and the fire at the back of the cave and the milk pots that stand beside the fire remember what my enemy and the wife of my enemy has said.

Cat went far and far away and hid herself in the wet wild woods by her wild loon for a long time and the woman forgot all about her.

Only the bat the little upside-down bat that hung inside the cave knew where cat hid and every evening bat would fly to cat with news of what was happening.

One evening bat said there's a baby in the cave he's new and pink and fat and small and the woman is very fond of him.

Ah said the cat listening but what is the baby fond of?

He's fond of things that are soft and tickles at the bat he's fond of warm things to hold in his arms when he goes to sleep he's fond of being played with he's fond of all those things.

Ah said the cat listening then my time has come.

Next night cat walked through the wet wild woods and hid very near the cave till morning time when man and dog and horse went hunting.

The woman was busily cooking that morning and the baby cried and interrupted so she carried him outside the cave and gave him a handful of pebbles to play with but still the baby cried.

Then the cat put out her paddy paw and patted the baby on the cheek and it cooled and the cat rubbed it against its fat knees and tickled it under his fat chin with her tail and the baby laughed and the woman heard him and smiled.

Then the bat the little upside down bat that hung in the mouth of the cave said oh my hostess and wife of my host and mother of my host's son a wild thing from the wild woods is most beautifully playing with your baby.

Ah blessing on that wild thing whoever he may be said the woman straightening her back for I was a busy woman this morning and he has done me a service.

That very minute and second best beloved the dried horse skin curtain that was stretched tail down at the mouth of the cave fell down because it remembered the bargain she had made with the cat.

And when the woman went to pick it up lo and behold the cat was sitting quite comfy inside the cave.

Oh my enemy and wife of my enemy and mother of my enemy said the cat it is I for you have spoken a word in my praise and now I can sit within the cave for always and always and always.

The woman was very annoyed and shut her lips tight and took up her spinning wheel and began to spin.

But the baby cried because the cat had gone away and the woman could not hush it.

It struggled and kicked and grew black in the face.

Take a strand of the wire that you're spinning said the cat and tie it to your spinning wall and drag it along the floor and I will show you a magic that shall make your baby laugh as loudly as he is now crying.

I will do so said the woman because I'm at my wits end but I will not thank you for it.

So she tied the thread to the little clay spindle wall and drew it across the floor and the cat ran after it and patted it with her paws and rolled head over heels and tossed it backwards over her shoulder and chased it between her hind legs and pretended to lose it and pounced down upon it again till the baby laughed as loudly as it had been crying and it scrambled after the cat and frolicked all over the cave till it grew tired and settled down to sleep with the cat in its arms.

Now said the cat I will sing the baby a song that shall keep him asleep for an hour and she began to bow loud and low low and loud till the baby fell asleep.

The woman smiled as she looked down upon the two of them and said that was wonderfully done.

No question but you are very clever oh cat.

That very minute and second best beloved the smoke of the fire at the back of the cave came down in clouds from the roof because it remembered the bargain she'd made with the cat and when it had cleared away lo and behold the cat was sitting quite comfy close to the fire.

You've spoken a second word in my praise said the cat and now I can sit by the warm fire at the back of the cave for always and always and always.

Then the woman was even more annoyed and let down her hair and put more wood on the fire and brought out the broad blade bone of the shoulder of mutton and began to make a magic that should prevent her from saying a third word in praise of the cat.

By and by the cave grew so still that a little wee wee mouse crept out of a corner and ran across the floor.

Is that little mouse part of your magic said the cat?

Oh gee no no said the woman and she dropped the blade bone and braided up her hair very quickly.

Aha said the cat watching and the cat was very happy and said to the cat Oh,

I said the cat watching then the mouse will do me no harm if I catch it.

No said the woman catch it quickly and I will ever be grateful to you.

The cat made one jump and caught the little mouse and the woman said a hundred thanks.

Even the first friend is not fast enough to catch little mice as you have done.

You must be very wise.

Yes.

That very moment and second oh best beloved the milk pot that stood by the fire cracked into two pieces because it remembered the bargain she had made with the cat.

And when the woman looked again low and bold the cat was lapping up the warm white milk that lay in one of the broken pieces.

You have spoken three words in my praise said the cat and now I can drink the warm white milk three times a day for always and always and always.

That evening when the man and dog came into the cave the woman told them all the story of the bargain while the cat sat by the fire and smiled.

Even today the cat remains independent and she's kind to babies when she's in the house.

Just as long as they don't pull her tail to her.

But when the cat was gone she was always kind to babies.

But when the same kind of Euphoria,

Joy monitors her A new,

New brought scripture shall fall down on her.

Walks by herself,

And all places are alike to her.

Then she goes out to the wet wild woods,

Or up the wet wild trees,

Or on the wet wild roofs,

Waving her wild tail and walking by her wild lawn.

She walks by herself,

Or on the wet wild trees,

Waving her wild tail and walking by her wild lawn.

She walks by herself,

Or on the wet wild trees,

Waving her wild tail and walking by her wild lawn.

She walks by herself,

Or on the wet wild trees,

Waving her wild tail and walking by her wild lawn.

She walks by herself,

Or on the wet wild trees,

Waving her wild tail and walking by her wild lawn.

Reviews

Soothing voice, and the story reminds me of my childhood

Thank you for this sleep story. I actually did fall asleep about 3/4 in. :)

I listen to this while I fall asleep. I'd love more!

I think I’ve made it to the end twice out of over 50 listens. A lovely story, wonderfully narrated.

Enjoyable repetitive story to help my mind relax.

This triggered a beautiful childhood memory. Once the story began, it was quite familiar. As it went on, I could hear another voice in my head narrating as well. It was my grandmother’s voice telling the story as she did to me when I was a child. It’s been a long time since I’ve heard her voice. Thank you

So soothing! Excellent pacing and the light background sounds perfectly complimented the storyline

I so enjoy your meditations and readings. You have a beautiful voice and the steady calm pacing is so very soothing.

Absolutely lovely and charming. My two gray furry-purry girls curled up with me by the fire 🔥 to listen. Thank you so much.

I look forward to listening to your stories each night before bed. Your soothing voice always helps me feel calm, safe and relaxed. Thank you for offering your gifts!!💫 🕊️💛

One of the best stories I’ve heard .
The storyteller really has a way of speaking to perfect the experience::
Thank you !

I love the story and I like your voice. Nice and calming. I'm going to relisten to this and 🍪🍺🍭 for making a nice meditation 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️💝💓💚💘💛💙💜🧡🤍❤️‍🔥♥️🤎💕💞🥰❣️🫶🕊️🕊️🕊️🕊️🦚🦚🦚🦚🦚🕊️🕊️🦚🦚🦚🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🖤🖤🖤🖤

Such an adorable story! Read in the most soothing, magical voice. I smiled the entire time 🥰🐈‍⬛🩶

This was amazing. Thank you for the wise and beautiful story!

My 5yo’s favourite bedtime story, we’ve been listening to this for three weeks straight 😄

I love this story! Thank you for narrating it so beautifully

Thank you. I didn't actually get to hear the story fully as I drifted off to sleep listening to the readers soothing voice. I am very grateful 🙏🏻 for peaceful sleep aided by a story and great reader.

This was lovely. Great voice and cadence. Thank you.

Going to have to listen again as I missed the end.i fell asleep. Your voice is amazing. Thank you.

Thank you for reading a story, and the sound scape in the background. I loved it.