then he got up and clambered out of the cave, went into the forest, and thought, "here i am quite alone and deserted, how shall i obtain a horse now?" whilst he was thus walking full of thought, he met a small tabby-cat which said quite kindly, "hans, where are you going?" "alas, thou canst not help me." "i well know your desire," said the cat. "you wish to have a beautiful horse. come with me, and be my faithful servant for seven years long, and then i will give you one more beautiful than any you have ever seen in your whole life." "well, this is a wonderful cat!" thought hans, "but i am determined to see if she is telling the truth." so she took him with her into her enchanted castle, where there were nothing but cats who were her servants. they leapt nimbly upstairs and downstairs, and were merry and happy. in the evening when they sat down to dinner, three of them had to make music.