There lived one man in a quiet village in the south of England. He served as a church watchman and lived with his wife at the church in a very comfortable house with a fireplace.
They had a cat - black as coal, only a white spot on the chest. The cat's name was Thomas.
One winter evening, the church watchman did not return home for a long time. The wife was sitting by the fireplace knitting, and old Tom was warming himself by the fire. She had boiled the tea a long time ago, the kettle had long since cooled down, and her husband still had not returned.
Finally he ran into the house, completely out of breath, and shouted:
-Who is Tom Tyldrum?
He was so excited that his wife asked:
- What happened?
“You won’t believe what a strange thing just happened to me!” - said the husband.
- Well, sit down and tell me!
And they sat down by the fire, and old Tom between them, and the husband; started:
“Today I was repairing the fence, the one closer to the forest, you know.” So, I had almost finished everything, when suddenly I heard a loud “meow!”
- Meow! - said Thomas.
“That’s right,” the husband nodded. “I looked around and see... Oh no, you still won’t believe me.” Nine black cats, completely black as coal, only a white spot on the chest, well, the spitting image of our Tom, so important, solemnly carried... Well, what do you think? A small black coffin! Covered with black velvet, and on the lid there is a golden crown. One cat comes up to me and says: “Meow!”
-Meow! - said Tom.
“That’s it, exactly,” the husband continued. “He looks at me and says: “Tell Tom Tildrum that old Tim Toldrum is dead.”
- Look at our Tom! - the wife exclaimed here.
But before she had time to finish, their beloved cat Tom jumped up and shouted:
- Oh heaven! Old Tim Toldrum has died, so now I am king!
And, without adding another word, he jumped into the fireplace and disappeared forever...
English folk tales
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru