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Background
In this tale, a woman wishes her pet cat could talk and keep her company. When a smart beggar
comes to the door, he tricks the woman into letting him stay by using ventriloquism to make it appear
the cat is able to talk. The woman believes it. As the story progresses, the
beggar continues to trick the woman into doing other things for him by using the same trick. This story falls
into motif J1880, animals treated as if human. Another tale, with a "talking" animal motif or
illusionary sound (K1887.4) is a tale about a fox. In this story, a fox keeps rubbing his tail on a door. It
sounds like "Zui." When he bangs his head on the door, it sounds like "Ten." The man inside the house,
Zuiten, thinks he hears his name called, and opens up the door. This happens several times until finally the fox falls into the room
(MacDonald, Sourcebook).
Suggested Lessons and Activities
1. Share or book talk other animal stories: Other stories about cats include:
Millions of Cats, Socks, Agnus and the Cat, The Cat in the
Hat, Puss in Boots, Mrs. Katz and Tush, and many others. If you
use the tale with Zui, you may want to read fox stories such as Aunt Flossie and
the Fox, Fox in Socks, or Caldecott Winner One Fine Day. Related discussion: What sections of the library have
animal books? Why are some animal books in the 500s while others are in the 600s? (Wild Animals
vs. Pets)
2. Videos with Cats: The Dog Who Had Kittens/Live Oak Media/1992.
3. Creative writing: Write a story or book about what you would do if your pet started to talk one day.
What would he say? How would you react?
4. It would be a stretch, but this story could be used to discuss "strangers" ("stranger danger"). Some
sites on this topic are Parenting A-Z: Teaching Street Smarts,
City of Mesa Police :Teaching
Children About Strangers, Stranger Danger put out by the Trinity
Hospital/Health Advocate Magazine.
5. Make puppets or "dummies." Practice ventriloquism. Discussion: How difficult is it to "throw your
voice?" Do you think you or a ventriloquist could convince someone that a pet was talking?
Citation
Cole, Joanna, ed. Best-Loved Folktales Around the World. New York: Anchor Press, 1982.
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