It's said that in Ulthar

no one may kill kitties.

The cat is cryptic

and sees things men can not see.

Older than the Sphinx,

remembering what she lost.

He's kin to jungle lords,

heir to their occult hoards.

Knowing tales best forgotten and lost cities.

Before the burgesses

forbade killing of cats

there once was an old farmer

d'void of sympathy.

With his wife he took delight

in hurting felines.

He would trap and he'd hurt them.

Killing and maiming kittens.

Folks always tried to keep cats

from straying too near.

One day a caravan

came up with some strangers

from a foreign culture

the likes they'd never seen.

With them was a boy

alone but for a kitten.

The boy he loved his kitten.

Always with his dear kitten.

Then one day it went missing

near the farmer's home.

When the boy heard of this

he mourned for his kitten.

Then meditated before

turning to prayer.

Raising his hands he

spoke in foreign languages.

The clouds they took on strange shapes.

Mysterious, malign'd shapes.

That night the wanderers

left the town in peace.

All through town they found

not a single cat around.

Not large, nor small

black, gray, striped, yellow, or brown.

First they suspected

the strangers and revenge

for the dear lost sweet kitten.

The boy's precious black kitten.

They went to bed mourning

their darling kitty cats.

When the cats return'd home

all the cats were then found.

Cats large, and small

black, gray, striped, yellow and brown.

The cats refused food

lounging in the sunshine.

They ate nothing for two days

Refusing meat for two days.

The town had no idea

of what might be found.

They notic'd no light near

the old farmer's hovel.

They also heard no sound

and became curious.

When they got there what

they found surpris'd them a lot.

The old farmer was just bones.

Beetles crawling from stark bones.

The questions led them to

pass the new kitty law.