Cat: Or, How I Lost Eternity

Every day Christine's walk to school takes her past a talking alley cat. And every day the cat's insights invariably give her something to ponder.

One day her teacher asks the eight-year-old why she is always late for school. Frightened, she reveals the secret of the talking cat. Her punishment: she must write two hundred times, "There are no talking cats, and from now on I will arrive at school on time." But the cat is real, no matter how many lines Christine writes. And she might just as well leave out the "no"--the headmaster won't even notice, says the clever cat.

That's what the cat always says--that life is all about being clever. And always looking out for yourself, first and foremost! But Christine isn't so sure, and she is a little scared of the cat, too. There must be more to life than self-interest, surely? The cat is spiteful and pitiless. And that's what Christine doesn't want to be.

An illustrated modern fable, The Cat is a unique book for both children and adults to enjoy.