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.