Table Of ContentJHbBP9I
ARROW BOOK OF
ftlwt Tories
Edited by
NORA KRAMER
Illustrated by George Wilde
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SCHOLASTIC BOOK SERVICES
Published for Scholastic Boole Services by TAB Books, Inc., a division
of Scholastic Magazines, 33 West 42nd Street, New York 36, N. Y.
Copyright Notices and Acknowledgments
THE KING O' THE CATS, by Joseph Jacobs. From More English Fairy Tales, by Joseph
Jacobs. Reprinted by permissionof G. P. Putnam's Sons.
JIMMY TAKES VANISHING LESSONS, by Walter Brooks. Copyright, 1950, by
Story Parade. Reprinted by permissionof Brandt and Brandt.
THE WONDERFUL CAT OF COBBIE BEAN, by Barbee Oliver Carleton. Copyright,
C1o9p5y7r,igbhyt,Th1e95J6o,hnbCy. WCuirntsitsonPubCloi.shRienpgriCnot.edRebpyrisnpteecidalbyperpmeirsmsiisosniofnroomfJTahcek aJonhdnJilCl.
Winston Co.
TEENY-TINY, byJosephJacobs. From English Fairy Tales, byJoseph Jacobs. Reprinted
by permission of G. P. Putnam's Sons.
THE CONJURE WIVES, by Frances G. Wickes. From Happy Holidays, by Frances G.
Wickes. Published by Rand McNally and Co., 1921. Reprinted with permission.
SPOOK'S BONES, by Louis C. Jones. From Spooks of the Valley, by Louis C. Jones.
Copyright, 1948, by Louis C. Jones. Reprinted by permission of Houghton Mifflin Co.
WHICH WAS WITCH? by Eleanore M. Jewett. From Which Was Witch? by Eleanore
M. Jewett. Copyright, 1953, by Eleanore M. Jewett. Reprinted by permission of
The Viking Press, Inc.
THE WATER GHOST by John Kendrick Bangs. Originally entitled "The Water Ghost
of Harrowby Hall" from The Water Ghostand Other Stories byJohn Kendrick Bangs.
Reprinted by permission of Harper and Brothers.
Copyright, ©, I960, by TAB Books, Inc. All rights
reserved under International and Pan American Copy-
right Conventions. Published I960 by TAB Books, Inc.
Printing History
1st printing August, I960
Printed in the U.S.A.
CONTENTS
The King o' the Cats by Joseph Jacobs 1
Jimmy Takes Vanishing Lessons
by Walter R. Brooks 5
The Woodman and the Goblins
byJ.B. Esenwein and Marietta Stockard 24
The Wonderful Cat of Cobbie Bean
by Barbee Oliver Carleton 32
Teeny-Tiny by Joseph Jacobs 69
The Conjure Wives by Frances G. Wickes 72
Spook's Bones by Louis C. Jones 78
Which Was Witch? by Eleanore M. Jewett 96
The Water Ghost by John Kendrick Bangs 103
To
My Own
Ghost-Story Enthusiasts—
Dinnie and Joan
The King o 9 the Cats
BYJOSEPH JACOBS
V/ne winter's evening the Sexton's wife was sit-
ting by the fireside with her big black cat, Old
Tom, on the other side, both half asleep and wait-
1
"
ARROW BOOK OF GHOST STORIES
ing for the master to come home. They waited and
they waited, but still he didn't come, till at last
he came rushing in, calling out, "Who's Tommy
Tildrum?" in such a wild way that both his wife
and the cat stared at him to know what was the
matter.
"Why, what's the matter?" said his wife, "and
why do you want to know who Tommy Tildrum
is?"
"Oh, I've had such an adventure. I was digging
away at old Mr. Fordyce's grave when I suppose
I must have fallen asleep, and only woke up by
hearing a cat's miaou,"
"Miaou!" said Old Tom in answer.
"Yes, just like that! So I looked over the edge of
the grave, and what do you think I saw?"
"Now, how can I tell?" said the Sexton's wife.
"Why, nine black cats all like our friend Old
Tom here, all with a white spot on their chests.
And what do you think they were carrying? Why,
a small coffin covered with a black velvet pall,
and on the pall was a small coronet all of gold,
and at every third step they took they cried all
together, 'Miaou—!'
2
THE KING O' THE CATS
"Miaoul" said Old Tom again.
"Yes, just like that!" said the Sexton; "and as
they came nearer and nearer to me I could see
them more distinctly, because their eyes shone
with a sort of green light. Well, they all came to-
wards me, eight of them carrying the coffin, and
the biggest cat of all walking in front for all the
world like—but look at Old Tom, how he's looking
at me. You'd think he knew all I was saying."
"Go on, go on," said his wife, "never mind Old
Tom."
"Well, as I was a-saying, they came towards me
slowly and solemnly, and at every third step cry-
"
ing all together, 'Miaou—*
"Miaou!" said Old Tom again.
"Yes, just like that, till they came and stood
right opposite Mr. Fordyce's grave, where I was,
when they all stood still and looked straight at
me. I did feel queer, that I did! But look at Old
Tom; he's looking at me just like they did."
"Go on, go on," said his wife, "never mind Old
Tom."
"Where was I? Oh, they all stood still looking
at me, when the one that wasn't carrying the
3
ARROW BOOK OF GHOST STORIES
coffin came forward and, staring straight at me,
said to me, with a squeaky voice, Tell Tom Til-
drum that Tim Toldrum's dead,' and that's why I
asked you if you know who Tom Tildrum was, for
how can I tell Tom Tildrum Tim Toldrum's dead
if I don't know who Tom Tildrum is?"
"Look at Old Tom, look at Old Tom!" screamed
his wife.
And well he might look, for Old Tom was swell-
ing and Old Tom was staring, and at last Old Tom
shrieked out, "What-Old Tim dead! Then I'm the
King o' the Cats!" and rushed up the chimney
and was never more seen.
