"Christopher Moore - Cat's Karma" - читать интересную книгу автора (Moore Christopher)

Chang awoke with his face in his new bride's hair, breathing in her dark warmth. Ling-Ling was
scratching at the door and Chang knew it was time to get up. As much as he wished to stay next to
Mesong and sleep, he went to the door and let Ling-Ling inside.
Chang began to prepare his tea but soon he felt a small hand over his and Mesong was standing beside
him.
"It is not proper that you should prepare your own tea, my husband." She took the kettle from him and
placed it on the hearth, then she added wood to the fire.
Chang sat watching her, not quite sure what to do. Ling-Ling rubbed against him to remind him about
her breakfast. He started to go for the fish and again Mesong stopped him.
"But I must feed Ling-Ling," he said.
"I will feed Ling-Ling," Mesong said.
"But she does not like you. I have always fed her."
"She will learn to like me when she realizes that we are sisters in your care." With that she took a piece
of fish off of the plate and offered it to Ling-Ling, who backed away despite her hunger.
"No matter," said Mesong, "she will soon learn that I am not her enemy."
Chang was confused by the change in his routine so he just sat and shook his head while he watched
his new wife prepare the riceballs he was to take to sea. She packed them into his pouch, wished him fair
winds and a good catch, and hugged him good-bye.
"Don't worry about Ling-Ling," she said as she waved. "By day's end we will be great friends."
As Chang walked out of the cabin into the chill morning he felt a warmth inside that he had never felt
before, and much to his surprise, it stayed with him through the long cold day at sea. When he returned
that evening he found Ling-Ling curled up in Mesong's lap purring and eating a piece of fish. Chang
joined them in their dinner after which he and Mesong made love in front of the fire while Ling-Ling lay
at their side purring.
Chang was more happy than he could ever remember being, so happy in fact, that he forgot to tell
Mesong that the fish merchant had given him only half the amount he usually paid for the day's catch.
As the weeks passed Chang and Mesong and Ling-Ling grew closer and closer. Chang regretted the
time he spent away from his little family and began to leave later each day and return each evening with
the other fishermen, but still the fish merchant paid him less than the others. Mesong begged him to
prevail upon her father for help, but Chang was a proud man and refused. At last they decided that
Mesong would sell Chang's fish herself while he was at sea each day.
Every morning after Chang left, Mesong slung two large baskets of fish on a pole and carried them
down the long road to the market where she hawked the fish to the wives of merchants and craftsmen.
The old fish merchant stood in the market and schemed while he watched Mesong sell her entire load
at half his asking price. Although most of his fish were taken inland by cart and sold to farmers, the fish
merchant resented the competition in the little fishing village and vowed to take revenge on Chang, who
was now his sworn enemy. He smiled and greeted Mesong with a wish of prosperity as she passed.
When a hostile wind took the fishermen far out to sea one evening, the old fish merchant took his
revenge.

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 Christopher Moore - Cat's Karma

Mesong had returned home from the market early, having sold her all her fish before noon. When the
storm blew up in the afternoon she began to worry about Chang. She sat by the fire holding Ling-Ling in
her lap until long after dark when there came a knock at the door. She opened it to find the old fish
merchant standing there holding a parcel out to her.
"Excuse the late hour," he said, "but since your husband has not returned this evening I thought you
might be in need of something for your supper. It is well know that Chang always keeps the best of his