Elizabeth Brutton

Tabbies and Tigers in Provence Elizabeth Brutton

This is the delightful tale of Fifi, the French cat, her separation from her mother, adoption by human parents and her adventures in her new life. It is a story which cat-lovers and their children will enjoy reading together, as the mannerisms and arrogance of cats is portrayed with reality and humour. Fifi relates her own story, inviting us to join her in her blissful life in Provence. In Part One, we learn about her growing up with humans, but always preferring the call of the wild. She describes the day when Agate, a neighbour's cat invades her privacy, how it affected her, and how a new member of the family, Agate's son, Shere Khan, is introduced into the household. Serious changes happen when Agate is killed by a car, and her dying wish was that Fifi would promise to look after her son, Shere Khan. Part Two unfolds the adventures of Fifi and her companions, in a search for Shere Khan. He had decided to run away to sea as a ship's cat. They encounter a rare breed of tiger in a zoo, who was stolen from a Maharajah living in Provence. He is assisted to escape and returned to his master, only after terrifying ordeals by Fifi and her companions. Fifi's search takes her through forests and water, encountering many dangers from both hunters and wild bore, until finally being reunited with Shere Khan as he is about to leave on a ship from Marseilles. Throughout the book, the beauty of Provence, its flora and fauna is captured through the eyes of Fifi. You will relate to every nuance of Fifi's emotions and fears, as she unfolds her story and draws the reader into her world.