Ukrainian Folk Tales [antikvár]

PAN KOTSKY THE PUSS-O-CAT -f-r Once upon a time there was a man who had an old tomcat He was so old that he could not cf^tch a mouse. So the man took him to a forest to get rid of him. What good is he to me since I only feed him for nothing, thought the man; let him ferid for himself in the forest. And he, left the tomcat there and went away. A Vixen happened to rove" in that forest, and she came^ across the Cat. "Who are you?" she asked him. "I'm Pan Kolsky," lie answered. "Listen, what if you be my husband and I your wife," said the Vixen. The Cat agreed. The Vixen took him to her lair and tried to please him in every way possible. Whenever she gof lioíd of a n'én she did not take a single bite of it, but immediately brought it to the Cat. ^^ ^ Once the tlare met the Vixen and said: "Vixen, deary, could 1 come tonight and woo you?" "Oh no, 1 have Pan Kotsky to t.ake care^pf me now, so you better walch out th^he doesn't t'earVou to tatters." ^ .The Hare broadcast the news to the Wolf, the Bear and the Boar. They all came together to hold coililcil on how they could have a look at the horrible Pan Kotsky, and decided to give a least in his honoBL^ Then they discussed how they should go about arranging the feast. "I'll go and get some meat for the borshch," said the Wolf. "And I'll get some^beefe and potatoes," said the Boar. "I'll fetch some honey for a titbi'tV' said the Bear. "And I'll get some cabbage," said the Hare. After they had got all these things together, they started cooking. When everything was ready, they had to decide who was lo go and invite Pan Kotsky to the feast. ood- - - "1 won't be fast enough if it comes to showing a light pair of heels," said the Bear. "And 1, too, am cTumsy," said the Boar. "I'm old and a bit dim-sighted," said the Wolf. "There's only the Hare left who can do the job." When the Hare ran up lo the Vixen's lair, she came out and saw him standing on his hind paws by the door. "What have you come for?" she asked.