• There once was a cat named Kuro-neko; he had the most beautiful fur in the four kingdoms. Everyone in the north kingdom would walk miles to gaze upon him, he was the most loved cat there was.

    One day his brother Shirou-neko asked him to travel to the west kingdom for medicine. Kuro-neko refused. He was too beautiful for such an arduous journey; Shirou-neko just smiled and apologized. As time passed, Kuro-neko saw his brother less and less. One day he went to visit his brother. He arrived at Shirou-neko’s room and called out, “Brother, are you there?” All that answered him was a weak cough. Shirou-neko appeared; his white coat had patches missing.

    “What happened?” Kuro-neko exclaimed as he saw his brother. Shirou-neko smiled and weakly replied “Just caught a chill, it will pass.” But for the first time Kuro-neko could see that his brother was lying. “I’ll get you the medicine.” Before Shirou-neko could say anything, Kuro-neko took off for the west kingdom. His pads were torn by the time he made it past the rocky terrain of the west kingdom. The drug store was easy to find. He asked for the medicine, but the owner sighed sadly, “I’m afraid we don’t have anymore.”

    Defeated, he traveled to a shrine, stared up at the statue of the White Tiger, the deity of the west kingdom. “Please, White Tiger, tell me how to save my brother.” Suddenly a white tiger appeared before him; its fur was sharp like metal. “Kuro-neko,” its voice echoed, “I will save your brother, but at a price;” without thinking, Kuro-neko agreed. The White Tiger told him he would have to travel to the three kingdoms and ask the other gods for help. So he set off, traveling through the desert terrain off the South kingdom.

    Kuro-neko finally arrived at the temple and stared at the statue of the Phoenix. “Great Phoenix, please grant me the power to save my brother.” When he spoke he could hear his voice was rough from the sand and lack of water. The Phoenix appeared, her feathers flowing like fire. She said, “I have granted you the power go now to the East kingdom and seek the power of the dragon.”

    Kuro-neko’s journey to the East kingdom was easier as he was growing used to these long treks, but the land was filled with brambles that pulled at his fur. He approached the shrine of the dragon, whose scales shimmered like ebony in sun; with a breath of blue-green fire, he spoke, “Go now to the North. Complete your quest and save your brother.”

    Kuro-neko finally came to the temple of his home where the Tortoise was waiting its shell rippling like water. “Your brother is safe.” Shirou-neko stood next to the Tortoise in perfect health. Kuro-neko was so over-joyed he failed to notice how ratty he looked. He was no longer the most beautiful cat, but he was the happiest. Moral: You don’t need beauty to be happy.