The Odd-dizzy: Part 5
“Have you remembered what your tutor, Dr. Tröger, taught you in your lesson, Rinpoche?”
“Well, he spoke at length about the time, long ago, when he fought bravely in the Second War of the Cats. And he also asked me to find Square Roots. I told him that roots are found outside in gardens rather than in offices and I’ve definitely not seen any square ones before. For some reason this made him very angry, and he hissed in a terrifying way. He said I would have to do some homework relating to these roots.”
“I will help you with this, Rinpoche. What else did Dr. Tröger teach you?”
“He spoke much about a very famous man named Leonardo da Vinci, who lived several cat-lives ago. According to Dr. Tröger, this human, Leonardo, actually stole some of his best ideas from his cat, Fabrizio, who was a genius.”
“Interesting.”
“It is, Daddi. After this, we discussed hunting skills. Apparently, I will get extra points if I bring a thrush or a robin with me to the Chief Cat exam as a present for the Khat Khouncile.”
“I thought the Khat Khouncile deducts points from candidates if they hunt birds in their own gardens?”
“Only if you intend to keep the bird for yourself, Daddi. Dr Tröger says hunting is encouraged if the treat is intended as a gift for the Khouncile cats. He told me this is called a Khouncile Perk.”
“Our human councils like perks, too, Rinpoche – only they prefer bottles of whiskey to mice and birds. Was there anything else you learnt from Dr. Tröger?”
“Yes, Daddi, he showed me another way out of the building. Dr. Tröger’s human worshippers have created a special little door-within-a-door flap for Dr. Tröger in the kitchen. So, in future, I’ll be able to use it and avoid the horrible Odd-dizzy glass door that spins around.”
“That’s good, Rinpoche. Now would you like me to explain square roots to you?”
“Not right now, Daddi. My brain is too full and my tummy is too empty.”
-to be continued-
