A lonely young man wished his cat were a lovely young woman. His wish was so fervent it reached the ear of the goddess Aphrodite, who granted it. And thus it was the young man found himself gazing into the dark eyes of a lovely young woman.

“Are you real? Can this be real?” he asked. “Let’s go for a walk,” the young woman replied.

The two lovers strolled along the street, holding hands, until the young woman suddenly broke away and leapt onto a wall and from there to the narrow edge of a garden fence. “What are you doing?” the young man asked with some concern. The young woman put a finger to her lips, then dropped into the yard beyond.

Moments later, she appeared at the gate, a mouse dangling from her outstretched hand. “For you,” she said proudly. “See how real I am.”

© Richard Parkin 2026

Further reading: Misadventures in the Land of Fables #82