Page:Tales and Legends from the Land of the Tzar.djvu/88

72 "How much do you want for it?" asked the merchant.

"Only one kopek, sir," replied the boy, "though it is worth three ships."

The merchant bought the cat and pursued his journey, when he was suddenly stopped by some sailors, who asked him to go on board their ship with his cat, as a very big rat had got in somehow, and no one could get rid of the creature, for no dogs or cats could catch the horrid thing; but they thought that perhaps his cat would be able to succeed. The merchant agreed to this proposal, and went on board with his cat, which soon began hunting and smelling for the rat, and, after some difficulty, she caught and killed it.

When the king heard of this wonderful cat he called the merchant and offered to buy it, but at first the merchant would not sell it, saying that it did not belong to him, but that he had bought it of a little boy in the market to give to a peasant. The king, however, said that he would give him anything he liked in exchange. At last the merchant said that it was worth three ships, and if the king would give him these, he would consent to part with the cat.

The king agreed to this, and the merchant set out on his way home, when he met the workman, who stopped and asked him what he had bought with the kopek. The merchant told him the whole story, and gave him the ships, which were anchored not very far off.

The peasant was greatly amused, and asked the merchant to accept two of them for his trouble, while