Cat with two tails

There once was a farmer who had three boys, each year when the father was to travel to the towns market, he used to ask what his sons wished for him to by them, while the two older boys always asked for sweets, toys and fine clothing. The youngest, jack, always asked for a black cat with two tails, as each night he dreams of such a thing. The father of course asked if there was not something else he wished for as he did not belive to ever find such a thing, but the boy stood fast, saying he rather have nothing at all if not the cat, but he still loves his father anyhow.

So each year he returns with the gifts for his two oldest boy but nothing for the youngest, who still is as happy, and only awnsers: "Perhaps next year". Then so one year, his father walks across a traveling merchant, who indeed has a cage with such a creature. In it sit's a cat as black as cole and whos tail is that of two. The father, so happy that he finaly found that what the son want's most ask for the price of such a thing. The merchant awnsers that it cannot be sold for either silver or gold, but only through trade, if the father agrees to trade that which stands behind his barn then he will trade the cat. The father who thinks that the only thing that is behind the bard is old tools and and broken junk agrees with glee.

But once they come home to the farmer, what does he see if not that behind the building stands his youngest child, at first the farmer pleads and begs for something else to be traded, but the merchant tells him no. And in the end he understand that he cannot undo what he has done, the son himself does not feel sad but say thanks for the gift and that the father should not be sad for his promis made and he would shurly be fine.

And so the boy left with the traveling merchant, they traveled far and whide. All the while jack was to clean the camp, handle the food and take care of the merchant. His master also asked of him from time to time for more harder things, be it to mind the shop or help gather things from other merchants. Then one day, jack fel ill and the merchant was away on business, expecting that the boy would do the tasks given. As such the lad cried out in sadness, his cat came to him, and asked why his master was weeping. When the lad told that he was to hurt to do what was asked of him, the cat said that if he was given half of jacks dinner, he would help him. Jack agreed, and then the cat transformed into a copy of his owner, and as such did the tasks given to jack. When the merchant came back to inspect he saw that the tasks where done and gave praise to the other jack.

Things returned to normal, until another day when the merchant was away, and jack again was to sick to perform, the cat asked what had happened, again the boy promised half his dinner for help and the cat transformed and did the task that was given. And when the master came back he gave praise to the cat in the form of jack.

As time had went, jack had fallen in love with his master, but was to afraid to speak his mind, as such the burden became to much for him to bare and he began again to weep. His cat asked him why he did so, if he was ill. And the bot answered that it was a sickness only in his hart and soul. But then the cat said that with this task he then could not help. The boy asked if he could not even for the whole meal. At this the cat could not say no, but still gave the boy a warning that this would end badly, but jack could not bear it any longer and told the cat to do as asked.

When the master came home that evening, the cat so went to the merchant and professed the love of jack. But after the businessman had heard him out, he only said that this would never be. Jack who had hidden away close by, heard the rejection, his hart broken he left the camp and ran away. But not that far did he manage to go before a beast did attack, all afraid he screamed in terror, and as a lightning from the sky came a spear. The merchant had run after when the boy disappeared, as he caught up he asked the boy why he had run away without any permission. Jack was all flustered from it all, and told how he had overheard his rejection of love, but at this the master only sighted: "Foolish boy, I know all along that the one asking was not you, and how could I answer yes to someone else then the one I love."

At hearing this, jacks hart almost burst in happiness, at that he asked for forgiveness for his foolishness and was such forgiven. together they got married, and as such, they together lived in eternal bliss until end of days.

## Lore

The scollars have a harder time to agree on the origin of the story, as some belive that the black cat represent the aspect of life, while others mean that the split tail is a symbol of the trixter. Though many belive that it is only a revrite on a story that tells of a boy who ask the old god Kailiif.