Pussy’s Value

Taken from ‘Little Folks a Magazine for the Young’ of 1890.

‘Whatever might be the case nowadays, there was a  time when the cat was held in considerable honour in Wales. King Howel Dda,”the Good,” who died in 748, ordered that the price of a kitten before it could see was to be one penny. When it caught it’s first mouse its value became twopence, and the price was afterwards raised to fourpence. The Prince’s granary was guarded by cats, and if anyone slew or stole one of these watch-cats he was severely punished. He had either to forfeit a ewe, or to give up as much corn as would cover the cat when it was hung up by its tail.’