#C4 ,H[ ! ,RYLS ,COLOR$ ! ,TOYS

  ,A HU% LAY ON ! ,LAU<+ ,VALLEY N[4
,SN[ COV]$ X L A :ITE SPR1D & PILL[S (
D[NY FLAKES DRIFT$ 2F ! DWELL+ ": ,CLAUS
SAT FE$+ ! BLAZE (! FIRE4 ,! BROOK
GURGL$ ON 2N A H1VY %EET ( ICE & ALL
LIV+ PLANTS & 9SECTS NE/L$ CLOSE 6,"M
,E>? 6KEEP W>M4 ,! FACE (! MOON 0 HID
0D>K CL\DS1 &! W9D1 DELI<T+ 9 ! W9TRY
SPORT1 PU%$ & :IRL$ ! SN[FLAKES 9 S _M
DIREC;NS T !Y CD GET NO *.E 6FALL 6!
GR.D4
  ,CLAUS HE>D ! W9D :I/L+ & %RIEK+ 9 XS
PLAY & ?ANK$ ! GD ,KNOOKS AG = 8 -=TA#
%ELT]4 ,BL9KIE WA%$ H] FACE LAZILY & />$
AT ! COALS )A LOOK ( P]FECT 3T5T4 ,! TOY
CAT SAT OPPOSITE ! R1L "O & GAZ$ /RAI<T
AH1D1 Z TOY CATS %D4
  ,SU45LY ,CLAUS HE>D A NOISE T S.D$
DI6]5T F ! VOICE (! W9D4 ,X 0 M L A WAIL
( SU6]+ & DESPAIR4
  ,HE /OOD UP & LI/5$1 B ! W9D1 GR[+
BOI/]\S1 %OOK ! DOOR & RATTL$ ! W9D[S
64TRACT 8 ATT5;N4 ,HE WAIT$ UNTIL ! W9D
0 TIR$ & !N1 / LI/5+1 HE HE>D ONCE M !
%RILL CRY ( 4TRESS4
  ,QKLY HE DREW ON 8 COAT1 PULL$ 8 CAP
OV] 8 EYES & OP5$ ! DOOR4 ,! W9D DA%$ 9
& SCATT]$ ! EMB]S OV] ! HE>?1 AT ! SAME
"T BL[+ ,BL9KIE'S FUR S FURI\SLY T %E
CREPT "U ! TA# 6ESCAPE4 ,!N ! DOOR 0
CLOS$ & ,CLAUS 0 \TSIDE1 PE]+ ANXI\SLY
96! D>K;S4
  ,! W9D LAU<$ & SCOLD$ & TRI$ 6PU% HM
OV]1 B HE /OOD FIRM4 ,! HELP.S FLAKES
/UM#D AG/ 8 EYES & DIMM$ 8 SI<T1 B HE
RU2$ !M AWAY & LOOK$ AG4 ,SN[ 0 "EY":1
:ITE & GLITT]+4 ,X COV]$ ! E>? & FILL$ !
AIR4
  ,! CRY 0 N REP1T$4
  ,CLAUS TURN$ 6G BACK 96! H\SE1 B ! W9D
CAU<T HM UNAW>ES & HE /UM#D & FELL ACR A
SN[DRIFT4 ,8 H& PLUNG$ 96! DRIFT & T\*$
"S?+ T 0 N SN[4 ,? HE SEIZ$ &1 PULL+ X
G5TLY T[>D HM1 F.D X 6BE A *4 ,! NEXT
MO;T HE _H LIFT$ X 9 8 >MS & C>RI$ X 96!
H\SE4
  ,! W9D FOLL[$ HM "? ! DOOR1 B ,CLAUS
%UT X \ QKLY4 ,HE LAID ! RESCU$ * ON !
HE>?1 & BRU%+ AWAY ! SN[ HE 4COV]$ X 6BE
,WEEKUM1 A LL BOY :O LIV$ 9 A H\SE 2Y !
,VALLEY4
  ,CLAUS WRAPP$ A W>M BLANKET >.D ! LL
"O & RU2$ ! FRO/ F XS LIMBS4 ,2F L;G ! *
OP5$ 8 EYES &1 SEE+ ": HE WAS1 SMIL$
HAPPILY4 ,!N ,CLAUS W>M$ MILK & F$ X 6!
BOY SL[LY1 :ILE ! CAT LOOK$ ON ) SOB]
CURIOS;Y4 ,F9,Y ! LL "O CURL$ UP 9 8
FR'S >MS & SI<$ & FELL ASLEEP1 & ,CLAUS1
FILL$ ) GLAD;S T HE _H F.D ! W&]]1 HELD
HM CLOSELY :ILE HE SLUMB]$4
  ,! W9D1 F9D+ NO M MIS*IEF 6D1 CLIMB$ !
HILL & SWEPT ON T[>D ! NOR?4 ,? GAVE !
WE>Y SN[FLAKES "T 6SETTLE D[N 6E>?1 &!
,VALLEY 2CAME / AG4
  ,! BOY1 HAV+ SLEPT WELL 9 ! >MS ( 8
FR1 OP5$ 8 EYES & SAT UP4 ,!N1 Z A * W1
HE LOOK$ >.D ! ROOM & SAW ALL T X 3TA9$4
  8,YR CAT IS A NICE CAT1 ,CLAUS10 HE
SD1 AT LA/4 8,LET ME HOLD X40
  ,B PUSS OBJECT$ & RAN AWAY4
  8,! O!R CAT WON'T RUN1 ,CLAUS10 3T9U$
! BOY4 8,LET ME HOLD T "O40 ,CLAUS PLAC$
! TOY 9 8 >MS1 &! BOY HELD X LOV+LY &
KISS$ ! TIP ( XS WOOD5 E>4
  8,H[ DID Y GET LO/ 9 ! /ORM1 ,WEEKUM80
ASK$ ,CLAUS4
  8,I />T$ 6WALK 6MY AUNTIE'S H\SE & LO/
MY WAY10 ANSW]$ ,WEEKUM4
  8,W]E Y F"R5$80
  8,X 0 COLD10 SD ,WEEKUM1 8&! SN[ GOT 9
MY EYES1 S ,I CD N SEE4 ,!N ,I KEPT ON
TILL ,I FELL 9 ! SN[1 )\T "K+ ": ,I WAS1
&! W9D BLEW ! FLAKES OV] ME & COV]$ ME
UP40
  ,CLAUS G5TLY /ROK$ 8 H1D1 &! BOY LOOK$
UP AT HM & SMIL$4
  8,I'M ALL "R N[10 SD ,WEEKUM4
  8,YES10 REPLI$ ,CLAUS1 HAPPILY4 8,N[
,I W PUT Y 9 MY W>M B$1 & Y M/ SLEEP
UNTIL MORN+1 :5 ,I W C>RY Y BACK 6YR
"M40
  8,MAY ! CAT SLEEP ) ME80 ASK$ ! BOY4
  8,YES1 IF Y WI% X TO10 ANSW]$ ,CLAUS4
  8,X'S A NICE CAT60 ,WEEKUM SD1 SMIL+1
Z ,CLAUS TUCK$ ! BLANKETS >.D HM2 &
PRES5TLY ! LL "O FELL ASLEEP )! WOOD5
TOY 9 8 >MS4
  ,:5 MORN+ CAME ! SUN CLAIM$ ! ,LAU<+
,VALLEY & FLOOD$ X ) 8 RAYS2 S ,CLAUS
PREP>$ 6TAKE ! LO/ * BACK 6XS "M4

8,MAY ,I KEEP ! CAT1 ,CLAUS80 ASK$
  ,WEEKUM4 8,X'S NIC] ?AN R1L
CATS4 ,X DOESN'T RUN AWAY1 OR SCRAT* OR
  BITE4 ,MAY ,I KEEP X80

  8,YES1 9DE$10 ANSW]$ ,CLAUS1 PL1S$ T !
TOY HE _H MADE CD GIVE PL1SURE 6! *4 ,S
HE WRAPP$ ! BOY &! WOOD5 CAT 9 A W>M
CLOAK1 P]*+ ! BUNDLE ^U 8 [N BROAD
%\LD]S1 & !N HE TRAMP$ "? ! SN[ &!
DRIFTS (! ,VALLEY & ACR ! PLA9 2Y 6!
POOR COTTAGE ": ,WEEKUM'S "M LIV$4
  8,SEE1 MAMA60 CRI$ ! BOY1 Z SOON Z !Y
5T]$1 8,I'VE GOT A CAT60
  ,! GD WOMAN WEPT TE>S ( JOY OV] !
RESCUE ( H] D>L+ & ?ANK$ ,CLAUS _M "TS =
8 K9D ACT4 ,S HE C>RI$ A W>M & HAPPY
HE>T BACK 6HIS HOME 9 ! ,VALLEY4
  ,T NI<T HE SD 6PUSS3 8,I 2LIEVE ! *N W
LOVE ! WOOD5 CATS ALM Z WELL Z ! R1L
"OS1 & !Y C'T HURT !M 0PULL+ _! TAILS &
E>S4 ,I'LL MAKE ANO!R40
  ,S ? 0 ! 2G9N+ ( 8 GRT "W4
  ,! NEXT CAT 0 BETT] MADE ?AN ! F/4
,:ILE ,CLAUS SAT :ITTL+ X \ ! ,YELL[
,RYL CAME 9 6MAKE HM A VISIT1 & S PL1S$
0 HE )! MAN'S SKILL T HE RAN AWAY & BR"\
S"EAL ( 8 FELL[S4
  ,"! SAT ! ,R$ ,RYL1 ! ,BLACK ,RYL1 !
,GRE5 ,RYL1 ! ,BLUE ,RYL &! ,YELL[ ,RYL
9 A CIRCLE ON ! FLOOR1 :ILE ,CLAUS
:ITTL$ & :I/L$ &! WOOD5 CAT GREW 96%APE4
  8,IF X CD 2 MADE ! SAME COLOR Z ! R1L
CAT1 NO "O WD "K ! DI6];E10 SD ! ,YELL[
,RYL1 ?"\;LLY4

8,! LL "OS1 MAYBE1 WD N "K ! DI6];E10
  REPLI$
,CLAUS1 PL1S$ )! IDEA4

  8,I W BR+ Y "S (! R$ T ,I COLOR MY
ROSES & TULIPS )10 CRI$ ! ,R$ ,RYL2 8&
!N Y C MAKE ! CAT'S LIPS & T;GUE R$40
  8,I W BR+ "S (! GRE5 T ,I COLOR MY
GRASSES & L1VES )10 SD ! ,GRE5 ,RYL2 8&
!N Y C COLOR ! CAT'S EYES GRE540
  8,!Y W NE$ A BIT ( YELL[1 AL10 REM>K$
! ,YELL[ ,RYL2 8,I M/ FET* "S (! YELL[ T
,I USE 6COLOR MY BUTT]CUPS & GOLD5RODS
)40
  8,! R1L CAT IS BLACK10 SD ! ,BLACK
,RYL2 8,I W BR+ "S (! BLACK T ,I USE
6COLOR ! EYES ( MY PANSIES )1 & !N Y C
PA9T YR WOOD5 CAT BLACK40
  8,I SEE Y H A BLUE RI2ON >.D ,BL9KIE'S
NECK10 A4$ ! ,BLUE ,RYL4 8,I W GET "S (!
COLOR T ,I USE 6PA9T ! BLUEBELLS & =GET-
ME-NOTS )1 & !N Y C C>VE A WOOD5 RI2ON
ON ! TOY CAT'S NECK & PA9T X BLUE40
  ,S ! ,RYLS 4APPE>$1 & 0! "T ,CLAUS _H
F9I%$ C>V+ \ ! =M (! CAT !Y 7 ALL BACK
)! PA9TS & BRU%ES4
  ,!Y MADE ,BL9KIE SIT ^U ! TA#1 T
,CLAUS MI<T PA9T ! TOY CAT J ! "R COLOR1
& :5 ! "W 0 D"O ! ,RYLS DCLD X 0 EXACTLY
Z GD Z A LIVE CAT4
  8,T IS1 6ALL APPE>.ES10 A4$ ! ,R$
,RYL4
  ,BL9KIE SEEM$ A LL (F5D$ 0! ATT5;N
2/[$ ^U ! TOY1 & T %E MI<T N SEEM
6APPROVE ! IMIT,N CAT %E WALK$ 6! CORN]
(! HE>? & SAT D[N )A DIGNIFI$ AIR4
  ,B ,CLAUS 0 DELI<T$1 & Z SOON Z MORN+
CAME HE />T$ \ & TRAMP$ "? ! SN[1 ACR !
,VALLEY &! PLA91 UNTIL HE CAME 6A
VILLAGE4 ,"!1 9 A POOR HUT NE> ! WALLS
(! B1UTI;L PALACE (! ,"L ( ,L]D1 A LL
GIRL LAY ^U A WRET*$ COT1 MOAN+ ) PA94
  ,CLAUS APPROA*$ ! * & KISS$ H] & -=T$
H]1 & !N HE DREW ! TOY CAT F 2N 8 COAT1
": HE _H HI45 X1 & PLAC$ X 9 H] >MS4
  ,AH1 H[ WELL HE FELT HMF REPD = 8
LABOR & 8 L;G WALK :5 HE SAW ! LL "O'S
EYES GR[ B"R ) PL1SURE6 ,%E HU7$ ! KITTY
TI<T 6H] BR1/1 Z IF X _H BE5 A PRECI\S
GEM1 & WD N LET X G =A S+LE MO;T4 ,!
FEV] 0 QUIET$1 ! PA9 GREW LESS1 & %E
FELL 96A SWEET & REFRE%+ SLEEP4
  ,CLAUS LAU<$ & :I/L$ & SANG ALL ! WAY
HOME4 ,N"E _H HE BE5 S HAPPY Z ON T "D4
  ,:5 HE 5T]$ 8 H\SE HE F.D ,%IEGRA1 !
LIO;S1 AWAIT+ HM4 ,S9CE 8 BABYHOOD
,%IEGRA _H LOV$ ,CLAUS1 & :ILE HE DWELT
9 ! ,=E/ %E _H (T5 -E 6VISIT HM AT
,NECILE'S B[]4 ,AF ,CLAUS _H G"O 6LIVE 9
! ,LAU<+ ,VALLEY ,%IEGRA 2CAME L"OLY &
ILL AT EASE1 & N[ %E _H BRAV$ ! SN[-
DRIFTS1 : ALL LIONS ABHOR1 6SEE HM ONCE
M4 ,%IEGRA 0 GETT+ OLD & H] TEE? 7 2G9N+
6FALL \1 :ILE ! HAIRS T TIPP$ H] E>S &
TAIL _H *ANG$ F TAWNY-YELL[ 6:ITE4
  ,CLAUS F.D H] LY+ ON 8 HE>?1 & HE PUT
8 >MS >.D ! NECK (! LIO;S & HU7$ H]
LOV+LY4 ,! CAT _H RETIR$ 96A F> CORN]4
,%E DID N C>E 6ASSOCIATE ) ,%IEGRA4
  ,CLAUS TOLD 8 OLD FR AB ! CATS HE _H
MADE1 & H[ M* PL1SURE !Y _H GIV5 ,WEEKUM
&! SICK GIRL4 ,%IEGRA DID N "K M* AB *N2
9DE$1 IF %E MET A * %E CD SC>CELY 2
TRU/$ N 6DEV\R X4 ,B %E 0 9T]E/$ 9
,CLAUS' NEW LABORS1 & SD3
  8,^! IMAGES SEEM 6ME V ATTRACTIVE4
,YET ,I C N SEE :Y Y %D MAKE CATS1 : >E
V UNIMPORTANT ANIMALS4 ,SUPPOSE1 N[ T ,I
AM "H1 Y MAKE ! IMAGE (A LIO;S1 ! ,QUE5
( ALL B1/S4 ,!N1 9DE$1 YR *N W 2 HAPPY--
& SAFE AT ! SAME "T60
  ,CLAUS ?"\ ? 0 A GD SU7ES;N4 ,S HE GOT
A PIECE ( WOOD & %>P5$ 8 KNIFE1 :ILE
,%IEGRA CR\*$ ^U ! HE>? AT 8 FEET4 ,) M*
C>E HE C>V$ ! H1D 9 ! LIKE;S (! LIO;S1
EV5 6! TWO FI]CE TEE? T CURV$ OV] H] L[]
LIP &! DEEP1 FR[N+ L9ES ABV H] WIDE-OP5
EYES4
  ,:5 X 0 F9I%$ HE SD3
  8,Y H A T]RI# LOOK1 ,%IEGRA40
  8,!N ! IMAGE IS L ME10 %E ANSW]$2 8=
,I AM 9DE$ T]RI# 6ALL :O >E N MY FRS40
  ,CLAUS N[ C>V$ \ ! BODY1 ) ,%IEGRA'S
L;G TAIL TRAIL+ 2H X4 ,! IMAGE (! CR\*+
LIO;S 0 V LIFE-L4
  8,X PL1SES ME10 SD ,%IEGRA1 YAWN+ &
/RET*+ H] BODY GRACE;LLY4 8,N[ ,I W WAT*
:ILE Y PA9T40
  ,HE BR"\ ! PA9TS ! ,RYLS _H GIV5 HM F
! CUPBO>D & COLOR$ ! IMAGE 6RESEM# ! R1L
,%IEGRA4
  ,! LIO;S PLAC$ H] BIG1 PA4$ PAWS ^U !
$GE (! TA# & RAIS$ H]F :ILE %E C>E;LLY
EXAM9$ ! TOY T 0 H] LIKE;S4
  8,Y >E 9DE$ SKILL;L60 %E SD1 PR\DLY4
8,! *N W L T BETT] ?AN CATS1 ,I'M SURE40
  ,!N SN>L+ AT ,BL9KIE1 :O >*$ H] BACK 9
T]ROR & :9$ FE>;LLY1 %E WALK$ AWAY T[>D
H] =E/ HOME ) /ATELY /RIDES4