The old Lamp Lighter
A long time ago here lived an old man whose name was Alfonso. Alfonso lived in a small house, at the end of a small street, in a small town. He lived all alone in the little house, except for a mouse named Minerva!

Minerva was very old also, and very wise, and very friendly and she and Alfonso had long talks together. Yes, she could talk, but she had a tiny squeaky voice, and you had to listen very hard to hear her.

Alfonso was the town's lamp lighter. Every evening, just before it got dark, he had to take his adder, and his matches, and his lamp oil, and light every street lamp. It was a very important job, because if he didn't get the lamps lit, then all the people would not know which way to walk, and the horses would pull their buggys down the wrong streets. It would be very dark! One day, when the sun was just starting to set behind the mountain, Alfonso began to get ready for work. He put his ladder by the door, put his matches in his pocket, and went to the big barrel in the corner to fill his bucket with lamp oil. But when he looked in the barrel what do you think he saw?

It was empty! "Oh no" he cried, "it can't be empty, not tonight of all nights." Oh my" the old man wailed, "if I don't get the lamps lit tonight, then Santa Claus wont be able to see the town from way up in the air, and all the children will be without presents on Christmas morning!" Alfonso was very sad, there was not enough time to go to the next village and get more oil.
Minerva the mouse had heard her friend worrying, and came out of her mouse hole to see what the matter was. When Alfonso told her of his troubles, she too was upset and n such a state that her squeaky little voice got even squeakyer and tinyer.

This was going to be a terrible Christmas!

While Alfonso and Minerva were setting and fretting, there came a scratching at the door. The old lamp lighter opened the door to see two beautiful black cats, with shining yellow eye looking woefully up at him. They looked very hungry and very tired, as though they had traveled a long way.

"Well" said the old man, "what do we have here, two lost kittys in search of a meal and a bed?" Minerva had scurried back to her mouse hole as soon as she saw the two black beasts because she didn’t trust cats. She knew that mice and cats just didn't get along well together.