Strange Happenings by Avi

Author:Avi
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

The Shoemaker and Old Scratch

THERE ONCE WAS A POOR SHOEMAKER who had little more than the tools of his trade. Not having a place to work, he searched everywhere until he found a very small and dilapidated house. But no sooner did he move in than he discovered the house was overrun with mice. They chewed holes in his leather, drank his glue, and made nests with his thread.

Frustrated, the shoemaker sat upon his front steps to ponder what he could do. After a while a black cat with lemon-colored eyes appeared.

Ah, thought the shoemaker, the very creature to do the work.

The shoemaker introduced himself to the cat, explaining that he was a poor maker of shoes who had recently moved into the house only to find it full of mice. "If you get rid of those mice," he said to the cat, "I'll pay you very well."

"How well?" asked the cat.

"Rid my house of mice," said the shoemaker, "and I'll share all my earnings with you."

"How about fifty-fifty?" asked the cat.

"Fifty-fifty," agreed the shoemaker.

"Forever and ever?"

"Forever and ever."

"Deal," said the cat, and she offered a paw, which the shoemaker shook with great solemnity.

The cat went to work. Within a week there was not one mouse to be found in the house.

"Wonderful!" said the shoemaker. "Now I can set down to do my work."

Not only did the shoemaker do that, he soon became quite successful. Each day, however, he waited until he was sure the black cat was sleeping, counted the money he had made, and hid it under the floorboards. He was quite certain the cat did not notice.

One year to the day from when the shoemaker and the cat had made their bargain, the cat announced it was time for her to receive what the shoemaker had promised—half of his earnings.

"Oh, don't be silly," the shoemaker said to the cat. "A cat has no need for money. Besides, you only worked a week. I've worked a whole year. You should be content with a sunny window and the saucer of milk I leave for you each day."

"What about 'forever and ever'?" said the cat.

"Things change," said the shoemaker.

"But a bargain is a bargain," the cat protested.

"Things change," repeated the shoemaker.

The black cat stared up at the shoemaker with her lemon-colored eyes, put up her tail, and went out for a walk. When she returned she did not speak of the matter. In fact, she never spoke to the shoemaker again—not once.

A few days later—it was evening—the shoemaker returned home after delivering some shoes he had made. All he wished to do was get inside his house, count the money he'd earned, hide it away, and then eat the splendid dinner he'd prepared for himself.

Much to his surprise the front door to his house would not open. He tried the rear door, as well as the windows. Nothing budged. He threw a rock at a window. The rock bounced away. Finally he called inside to the cat to open the door, but the cat did not come.

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