“Gatomaquia.” [Having been unable to find a passage in Lope de Veg burlesque epic, the “Gatomachia,” comprehensive enough in itself to form a good extract, I append some lines descriptive of the hero and heroine, which, though somewhat vulgarised in the English, may give a notion of its humour.]
On a lofty peak’d ridge of a til’d-roof there sat
Zapaquilda, the prettiest pussy cat,
Enjoying a blow and most busy at work
Cleaning waistcoat and tail with tongue graceful yet perk,
For as jaunty a cat and important is she
As if she belonged to a monastery—
No mirror had she, though a mocking magpie
Had carried a broken potsherd up on high—
Who never found student’s shirt-collar but he