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| Lowe | Mr Fox |
One winter’s night the sexton’s wife was sitting by the fireside, with her big black cat old Tom sitting on the other side, both half asleep and waiting for the master to come home. Well they waited and they waited and they waited till at last he come a rushing in.
Here, who’s Tom Tildrom?
Well his wife and his cat stared at him.
Tom Tildrum, why do you want to know who Tom Tildrum is?
Uh! I’ve had such and adventure, I was a digging away at old Mr Fordyce’s grave and I must’ve dropped asleep, and I only woke up by hearing a cat Miaow!
Miaow! Piped up old Tom sitting by the fireside.
Yes just like that.
So I looked over the edge of the grave, and what do you think I saw? Why nine black cats, all like old Tom here, all with white spots on their chests. And what do you think they was a carrying? Why a little coffin, covered in black velvet, and on the velvet was a little gold crown, and at every third step they took they all cried out Miaow!
Miaow! Piped up old Tom sitting by the fireside.
Yes, just like that.
And as they come a nearer and a nearer I could see their eyes a shinning out with a sort of a green light. Well they all come towards me a carrying this little coffin and the biggest cat of all was walking in front. Here, but look at our Tom, look at him, look how he’s a looking at me, you’d think he knowed all I was a saying.
Oh, go on, go on, never mind our Tom.
Well as I was a saying, they all come towards me, slowly and solemnly and at every third step a crying out Miaow!
Miaow! Piped up old Tom sitting by the fireside.
Yes just like that.
Till they come and they stood right opposite Mr Fordyce’s grave, just where I was, and then they all stood still and they looked straight at me. Uh! I did feel queer, that I did. Here, but look at our Tom, look at him, look how he’s a looking at me, just like they did.
Oh, go on, go on, never mind our Tom.
Where was I, oh yes, well they all come and they looked at me, and the one that wasn’t carrying the coffin, he come forward, and staring straight at me, he sez to me, yes I tell you he sez to me.
Tell Tom Tildrum, Tim Toldrum’s dead.
And that’s why I asked you if you knew who Tom Tildrum was, for how can I tell Tom Tildrum, Tim Toldrum’s dead if I don’t know who Tom Tildrum is. Here, but look at our Tom, look at our old Tom.
And well he might look, for Tom was a swelling and a swelling and a swelling and Tom was a starring, and at last Tom shrieked out.
What Tim Toldrum’s dead! Ha! Hah! Then I’m the king of the cats! Ha! Hah!
And he rushed up the chimney and he was never seen no more.