Melody the Golden Cat
by Ralph G. Lam
(c)1989

Once upon a time, when summer lasted all year, and warm rain was a friendly reminder of hope, there was a special golden cat. This was a magic cat, made so by the love of her mistress who raised her from a kitten. This woman, her mistress, had found her with her eyes still closed, and her cat mother had gone away.

The woman said, "You may stay with me, and I shall raise you as my own, and feed you as your mother would have, and you will be my cat companion",...and so it was.

The cat was named "Melody" by her mistress, because she reminded her of sweet music, though she had other names. The other cats knew the golden cat as "Sniff a Leaf", and sometimes she was called "Dee Dee" by her mistress. Melody and her mistress lived happily on Ash Tree Lane, but Melody could tell that her mistress wanted a human companion to share their lives with. One day her mistress met a man, a traveler, whom was alone and without a family of his own. Melody could tell that her mistress loved this man.

One day the golden cat whispered into the mans ear with a high sweet voice,
"You are to be the soul mate of my mistress, in this I am wise, my mistress has waited long for one such as you, and I know that you love her as much" . She said, "you may stay here with us and become part of our family". "Will you do this?", she asked.

Now the man was aware that magic cats existed, because he once had a cat companion of his own, and he knew well of their ability to communicate with humans. He simply answered,
"I will, if your mistress will agree". " I know that she is a special woman", he continued, "because her love has made you magic, I will stay here, and be part of your family".

This made Melody very happy, and she leapt onto his lap so gently that he hardly felt it, and began to purr.

The man and woman were married, and they eventually left their home to have other adventures. Always taking with them the golden cat, to share their new home. As the years went by, the man learned much from the woman, and the woman learned much from the man, and Melody became even more magic, and the love between all became so big that it filled the sky so that it always shown a brilliant blue.

One day the golden cat waited until the man was alone and whispered to him in the sweetest voice ever , "It has come time that I must go away , for I have learned much from my mistress, and from you, and now must go on to new beginnings". The man could not bare to hear this news. Never did he think that he, and his wife would be without this magic cat.

"It can not be so!", he exclaimed, "we will not be the same without you". But her mind was made up. "I want you to help me tell my mistress", she said, "because I know that she loved me most of all, and this news will surely break her heart".

"I understand", he said, "I will be there when my mistress hears this news".
But deep down he did not understand at all, and his own heart was breaking in two, and he felt his tears would not cease.

When the woman heard the news, she was most sad, and could not be consoled. Indeed her heart was breaking, and it seemed as though it would never mend. She said, "Melody my special friend, you may not leave me, I will surely be the saddest human in the land without your silken fur, and soft purring to comfort me".

"I do not make this journey easily", Melody whispered, " I will miss your gentle kindness more than I can possibly say dear mistress. Please know that I must obey my destiny in this matter. I love you with all the depth of my being, and will miss you dearly".

The sadness in their home was great because their lives together had started in the company of this magic cat, this golden Melody. "Sniff a Leaf" had known the name of the man's cat companion before he even told it, she had helped him follow his instincts, and therefore to know in his heart that her mistress was to be his soul mate. Melody always had a sense as to when her mistress wanted her near. After all she was a magic cat! She was a constant, and loyal companion to her mistress, always at her side while her mistress read, or sat, or slept. Melody was always there, a supple, and slender manifestation of beauty. This golden cat received all the love given her, and returned it ten fold without a single complaint. Oh, this was a sad occasion. But as she left, Melody whispered to
them both , so that they heard it in their hearts,

"Do not be sad, for I am made of love, and you will always have love in your hearts, and so there I will always be. I will visit you from time to time, and remind you that love is what made me magic, and it was the same love that I gave to you in return. I am smiling now. I need of nothing more because our shared love has made me whole. I travel onward now to fulfill my destiny. We will surely meet again. Until then, we must say farewell. I will not forget you". With that the golden cat, Melody, lightly padded away, gently striding over the landscape to disappear among the summer
breezes.

In time the man and woman came to adjust to the departure of their dear friend. They tried to
remember that, what Sniff a Leaf had whispered before leaving, was wise indeed, but they still wanted her to be there with them, in their home, on their laps, in their bed, in the sunshine on a green yard. It wasn't always apparent to them why it must be that they are without their friend Dee-Dee, but with warmth in their hearts, they always remembered the sunny days on Ash Tree Lane, and the golden cat, who shared their love.

To our friend, and companion "Dee-Dee"

Written in remeberance of the passing of our friend and companion, Melody. This short tale was written without stopping. It went down onto the page straight from my heart to paper. To this day, I can not read it without crying. Yes folks, this is the creation of a hopeless romantic. I share it with all without compunction. Read and enjoy. Love to all.

Ralph