佐野 洋子（さの ようこ、Yōko Sano) (1938.6.28 - 2010.11.5.)
Japanese Writer
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A Cat who lived a million lives
There is a cat who had lived a million lives;
He died a million times; and re-born a million times.
He had a distinctive coat like a tiger; he is a very impressive cat.
A million people had loved him; and cried for him when he died;
But this cat had never shed one drop of tears.
Once, he was King's cat. He didn't like the King.
The King was at war all the time.
He put the cat in a special made basket; took the at to the wars.
One day, the cat was shot by a flying arrow.
The king held the cat, crying in the battle field.
King had no mood for the war any more;
he returned to the castle, buried the cat in the garden.
Once, the cat was raised by a sailor. He didn't like the sea.
Sailor had traveled around the world with the cat.
One day the cat fell into the water from the ship.
The Cat couldn't swim and he drowned.
The sailors hold the cat's wet body in his arms, cried out aloud.
He buried the Cat in a city park far away from the sea.
Once, the cat was raised by a circus magician. He didn't like circus.
The magician put the cat into a box every day, then cut the box in half with a saw. When he took the unharmed cat out of the box, the audience applauded.
One day, the magician accidentally cut the cat in half.
The magician holding the cat's in his both hands, burst into tears.
The cat was buried in the circus's backyard.
Once, the Cat was raised by a thief. He didn't like the thief.
The thief always took the cat with him.
They walked in the streets in the nights.
The thief walk like a cat.
The thief broke in the families with dog.
When dog barking toward the cat, he took advantage to open the family's vault.
One day, the cat was killed by a dog.
The thief holding the diamonds and the dead cat, walking in the dark street, cried.
The cat was buried in the thief's small yard.
Once, the cat was raised by a lonely old woman.
He didn't like the old lady.
The old lady holding a cat, looking out a small window, sit all day.
The cat laid on the old lady's lap all day, sleeping and napping.
Finally, the cats got older and older, then died.
The wrinkled old lady holding the wrinkled old cat in her arms, cried all day.
The Cat was buried under an old tree in the yard.
Once, the cat was raised by a little girl. He didn't like the little girl.
The little girl always carried the cat on her back,
or hold the cat tightly when she slept.
When the little girl cried, she cried over the cat's back.
One day, the little girl carried the cat on her back again.
The strap wrapped around the cat's neck accidentally.
The cat was strangled to death.
The little girl holding the limp cat, cried all day.
Finally, she buried the cat under a tree in the garden.
However, the cat did not care for his own death.
One time, the Cat was not raised by anyone.
He was a wild cat.
The first time, he was his own master.
The Cat liked himself this way the most.
He was already a beautiful tabby cat.
Now of course he became a very strong wild cat.
All the lady cats wanted to marry him.
Some brought him big fishes;
Some brought him the best rat meat;
Some brought him precious gifts;
And some are licking his hair,
The Cat just said:
"I died a million times.
Who can match against me. "
He still like himself the most.
There was a beautiful white cat.
She didn't look at the Cat.
The Cat walked up to the white cat, said:
"I died a million times!"
The white cat simply replied:
"is it?"
The Cat was a little angry, because he liked himself so much.
The next day, and the third day, the Cat walked to the white cat, said:
"You haven't even live one life to end, right?"
The white cat still simply answered:
"oh."
Once, the Cat walked in front of the white cat.
He did three somersault in the air and said:
"I used to be a circus cat!"
The white cat still simply respond "yeah?"
"I have lived a million times ......"
In the middle of the sentence, the Cat changed to ask:
"Can I stay by your side?"
The white cat said: "Okay."
Since then, the Cat stayed by the side of the white cat.
The white cat gave birth to many cute white kittens.
The Cat no longer say "I have lived a million times...".
He liked the white car and the kittens the most, more than like himself.
Finally, all the kittens had grown up, left them one by one.
"These kids have become very impressive wild cat!"
The Cat said, satisfying.
"Yeah."
The white cat grunted softly.
The white cat was more and more like an old lady.
The Cat had became more and more gentle.
He also made a soft grunt from his throat.
He wanted to stay with the white cat together forever.
One day, the white cat was lying on the side of the Cat, motionless and quiet.
The Cat cried, for the first time of his life.
He cried from morning to night,
from evening to morning,
He cried a million times,
Days and days passed.
At one noon, The Cat stopped crying.
He was lying on the side of the white cat, quiet and motionless.
The Cat never make it for another reincarnation.
