The Fable Of The Three Cats

ALONG TIME AGO, when the ancient landscape of Japan was dotted with hundreds of castles and the country was ruled by the sword, there was a great samurai warrior who was pestered by a large rat.

- J.W. Liotta

Not only did the rat get into the warrior’s food, it also gnawed through the floorboards of his house and even shredded some of his clothes and belongings. The warrior tried to catch the rat, but it was too clever and swift for his traps and his sword.

So the warrior decided to get a cat. He chose one that was both strong and quick, but the rodent proved to be faster than the cat. The cat could not even get within a foot of the rat, and it just looked foolish trying.

The warrior then replaced the first cat with one that was smarter and faster and had the excellent reputation of having caught many, many mice. The rat, however, simply kept out of sight and only came out when this second cat was asleep.