Lola Chapter One: The Old Lady And Her Cat

 Once upon a time many many years ago there lived a very old woman in a land called Italia. She lived in a tiny stone cottage that was older than she was. She lived alone except for the company of her cat. Her cat was also old and liked to lay in the sun to warm his bones. The old woman had found her cat when he was just a kitten and she was a young girl. She called it Kitty because she couldn't think of a better name. The kitten grew to be as big as  the foot stool that sat in front of her chair by the window.  At first and for a few years the two of them would run and play in the open fields.; often chasing butterflies and make believe unicorns. Then she was summoned to work at the palace with her mother for many years. The hard work and long hours of work would soon leave little time for fun with her kitty. She would go to bed almost as soon as she got home from the palace.

Nowadays, her cat, the third generation of kittens her childhood cat had given her kept her cottage free of mice which the old woman was thankful for. The old woman had many things to be thankful for in her old age. The old Queen let her live in her cottage rent free. The cat was full from his diet of mice so she didn't have to give him part of her food. She lived by a stream that was full of fat fish that she occasionally caught with tails of tadpoles that her cat would lay at her stoop.

The old woman would talk to her cat at times as if the cat was a human friend. Her voice was frail and weak, but at times even with her failing vision she would read to Kitty. His favorite story was the tale of a cat called Papa Gatto. He was a widower left with eight kittens after his wife died. The story book was full of beautiful pictures that the old woman showed to Kitty as she read the old old book. Papa Gatto was searching for a nanny to care for his baby kittens. Papa Gatto was a wise, well dressed, and clever cat and would advise the Prince from time to time. The book told the tale of him searching for an honest and beautiful nanny and acquiring only a beautiful and dishonest Sophia while all the while the plain Beatrice should have been his best choice. 

One day the old woman and her cat went outside to get some fresh air after a lovely spring rain. The sun was shining and the birds were singing their beautiful songs. The old woman looked down at her cat and said, "We are so very lucky to have such a beautiful day, aren't we, Kitty? The roof didn't leak even after all these forty fifty years. That's good because I can't afford to have someone redo it.

Her cat walked as quickly as his chubby self could go over to the bushes and flowers. He started to meow a loud scratchy meow. The old woman went over to see if the cat had caught a mouse when what did she see, but a tiny white furry ball. It was a puppy. It was dirty and matted and cried a tiny cry. "Well, how did you get here, my love? I bet you are hungry and I can't afford to feed you. I have all I can do to feed myself and Kitty. Now what should I do with you? I think it would be best if I left you here. Maybe someone will see you and take you in. I just can't do it." She turned and started to walk back to her cottage. She was surprised when Kitty blocked her way and went back to the bushes and flowers and curled up to the puppy. The old woman was astonished. "What are you doing? Are you willing to share your food with the dog? Dogs don't eat mice and tadpoles. They need lots of food that we don't have. What do you suggest we do? What's that? No answer? Just as I thought. You want what you can't have. Now come in with me. There is no use wailing and meowing. What that dog needs is a mother. He is just a little bit of a thing. He needs milk. Do you see a cow? No! No cow, no mama dog, no food. I see no solution for this little one. Now come in the cottage! I will finish knitting you a pillow cover for your little bed."