" Towards midnight he was about to poke his fire,
and as he was blowing it, something cried suddenly from one corner,
"Au, miau! how cold we are!" "You simpletons!" cried he, "what are you
crying about? If you are cold, come and take a seat by the fire and warm
yourselves." And when he had said that, two great black cats came with
one tremendous leap and sat down on each side of him, and looked savagely
at him with their fiery eyes. After a short time, when they had warmed
themselves, they said, "Comrade, shall we have a game at cards?" "Why
not?" he replied, "but just show me your paws." Then they stretched
out their claws. "Oh," said he, "what long nails you have! Wait, I must
first cut them for you." Thereupon he seized them by the throats, put
them on the cutting-board and screwed their feet fast. "I have looked at
your fingers," said he, "and my fancy for card-playing has gone," and he
struck them dead and threw them out into the water. But when he had made
away with these two, and was about to sit down again by his fire, out
from every hole and corner came black cats and black dogs with red-hot
chains, and more and more of them came until he could no longer stir,
and they yelled horribly, and got on his fire, pulled it to pieces, and
tried to put it out.
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