Conference misery::feline

561.0. "The worth of a cat" by SUBURB::ODONNELLJ () Wed Jul 07 1993 01:05

    These are the laws written by Howell the Good, King of South Wales in
    the year 948 AD (copied without permission from my magazine). I thought 
    you might find them interesting.
    
    The worth of a cat and her tiethi (qualities) is this:
    
    1. The worth of a kitten from the night it is kittened until it shall
    open its eyes is a legal penny.
    2. And from that time, until it shall kill mice, two legal pence.
    3. And after it shall kill mice, four legal pence; and so it always
    remains.
    4. Her tiethi are, to see, to hear, to kill mice, to have her claws
    entire, to rear and not devour her kittens, and if she be bought, and
    be deficient in any one of these tiethi; let one third of her worth be
    returned.
    
    Of Cats
    
    1. The worth of a cat that is killed or stolen; its head to be put
    downwards upon a clean even floor, with its tail liften upwards, and
    thus suspended, whilst wheat is poured about it, until the tip of its
    tail be covered; and that is to be its worth; if corn cannot be had a
    milch sheep, with her lamb and her wool, is its value; of it be a cat
    which guards the King's barn.
    2. The worth of a common cat is four legal pence.
    3. Whoever shall sell a cat is to answer for her not going
    a-caterwauling every moon; and that she devour not her kittens; and
    that she have ears, eyes, teeth and nails; and being a good mouser at
    all times.