“Very well, I am prepared to bet you anything you like that this will not happen.”
“Very good,” said the Landlord. “If this does not happen, I will hand you over my house, my merchandise, and everything I possess; but if it does, you will forfeit all your baggage, animals and merchandise to me.” And so the bet was arranged.
Now this was a regular trick of the Landlord’s, who had a tame cat which had been taught to carry in a lantern in her mouth every evening just at dusk, and he was accustomed to practise this deceit upon unwary travellers, and by this means to secure their goods and whatever property they possessed.
Sure enough, just at dusk a large white cat entered the sitting-room, holding a lighted lantern in its mouth, and the unfortunate young Man was obliged to hand over to his Host everything he possessed in the world; and finding himself without money or goods he decided to stay on in the house as a servant.
After the lapse of one or two months his Wife grew anxious about him, and knowing that from the infirmity of his mind he was likely to get himself into some scrape or another, she decided to set out herself to see what had become of him. So she disguised herself as a man, and taking with her a few ponies laden with wool, she started off to follow in the tracks of her Husband.
After several days she arrived at the house where her Husband was now employed as a servant, and, meeting him in the courtyard, she learnt from him all that had happened. So she bade him hold his tongue, and she [[41]]herself entered the inn, and asked for a night’s lodging. During the evening the Host got talking, and in the course of the conversation he made her the same wager as he had done to her Husband some time before.
“Well,” said she, “that sounds a very strange story. I can scarcely believe it possible you can have a cat so well trained as to be able to carry in a lantern. But I will think over what you say to-night, and we will see about making the bet to-morrow morning.”
Next morning at breakfast she said to her Host:
“I have thought over what you said to me yesterday, and I am now prepared to make a bet with you that the cat will not carry a lantern into this room at dusk this evening.”
So the bet was concluded upon the same terms as before, and the Lady privately told her Husband what he was to do. So in accordance with the instructions she had given him, he caught three mice, and concealed them in a little box, which he placed in the bosom of his robe. When evening approached, the Landlord and the Lady seated themselves in the supper room, waiting to see whether or no the cat would appear as expected, whilst the Husband hid himself in a corner of the courtyard, just outside the door near where the cat was accustomed to pass.