A retelling of THE CAT THAT WALKED BY HIMSELF, a short story of Rudyard Kipling.

In a time when the world was young, all creatures were wild. Dogs ran free in the forests, horses galloped across open fields, and cows wandered wherever they pleased. Even people lived in the wild, sleeping under the stars and foraging for food.

But the wildest of all was the cat. With fur as dark as night, this cat walked alone and felt no need for companionship.

In the same land lived a young child named Ruarc. Unlike the cat, Ruarc decided he’d had enough of the wild life. He found a cozy cave, swept it clean, and made a warm fire. He hung a curtain at the entrance and said, “This is much better than sleeping outside!โ€

Ruarc's cave in our short story of rudyard kipling

As Ruarc enjoyed his dinner by the fire that night, a curious dog poked its nose through the curtain. 

“Mmm, what’s that yummy smell?” the dog asked.

Ruarc smiled and offered the dog some food. “Would you like to stay with me? I can give you tasty meals every day.”

The dog wagged its tail and agreed. It became the First Pet.

First pet dog in our short story of rudyard kipling

Next, a horse trotted up to the cave. Ruarc gave it some sweet grass and said, “If you help me carry things, you can have this delicious grass every day.”

The horse nodded and became the First Helper.

A cow wandered by, and Rurac offered it some hay. The cow stayed and gave Ruarc milk in return.

Cow joins the cave family

All this time, the cat had been watching from the shadows as each animal gave up a piece of their wildness in exchange for care and belonging. It was curious about the harmony in Ruarc’s home, but it didn’t want to lose its independence.

One night, as the cat peered into the cave, it locked eyes with Ruarc. At that moment, a silent understanding passed between them. Ruarc knew the cat liked being free, and the cat knew Ruarc was okay with that.

“You’re welcome here,” Ruarc said softly, “but I won’t try to change you. Come and go as you please, be part of our family when you’re here, and be free when you want.”

The cat liked that idea. For the first time, it felt understood. It didnโ€™t want to be tamed like the other animals. Sometimes, the cat would curl up by the fire and purr. Other times, it would go out and explore the wild.

The cat by Ruarc's fire

The cat knew it had a place to come back to, a place where it was loved and accepted just as it was.

And so, the cat who walked by itself found a way to be both wild and part of a family. It showed that you can be free and still belong.

And to this day, cats remind us that we can be ourselves and still be loved.


Click here for another short story of Rudyard Kipling.

Find Your Next Story

Related Stories

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

error: Content is protected !!