rse.' And he
went back through the Wet Wild Woods, waving his wild tail and walking
by his wild lone. But he never told anybody.

When the Man and the Dog came back from hunting, the Man said, 'What is
Wild Horse doing here?' And the Woman said, 'His name is not Wild Horse
any more, but the First Servant, because he will carry us from place to
place for always and always and always. Ride on his back when you go
hunting.'

Next day, holding her wild head high that her wild horns should not
catch in the wild trees, Wild Cow came up to the Cave, and the Cat
followed, and hid himself just the same as before; and everything
happened just the same as before; and the Cat said the same things as
before, and when Wild Cow had promised to give her milk to the Woman
every day in exchange for the wonderful grass, the Cat went back through
the Wet Wild Woods waving his wild tail and walking by his wild lone,
just the same as before. But he never told anybody. And when the Man and
the Horse and the Dog came home from hunting and asked the same
questions same as before, the Woman said, 'Her name is not Wild Cow any
more, but the Giver of Good Food. She will give us the warm white milk
for always and always and always, and I will take care of her while you
and the First Friend and the First Servant go hunting.'

Next day the Cat waited to see if any other Wild thing would go up to
the Cave, but no one moved in the Wet Wild Woods, so the Cat walked
there by himself; and he saw the Woman milking the Cow, and he saw the
light of the fire in the Cave, and he smelt the smell of the warm white
milk.

Cat said, 'O my Enemy and Wife of my Enemy, where did Wild Cow go?'

The Woman laughed and said, 'Wild Thing out of the Wild Woods, go back
to the Woods again, for I have braided up my hair, and I have put away
the magic blade-bone, and we have no more need of either friends or
servants in our Cave.'

Cat said, 'I am not a friend, and I am not a servant. I am the Cat who
walks by himself, and I wish to come into your cave.'

Woman said, 'Then why did you not come with First Friend on the first
night?'

Cat grew very angry and said, 'Has Wild Dog told tales of me?'

Then the Woman laughed and said, 'You are the Cat who walks by himself,
and all places are alike to you. You are neither a friend nor a servant.
You have said it yourself. Go away and walk by yourself in all places
alike.'

Then Cat pretended to be sorry and said, 'Must I