An original folktale explaining the origin of Siamese cats. It seems that all Siamese cats are descendents of Sagwa, a Chinese cat once owned by a Foolish Magistrate. The magistrate used cats to write out his edicts by dipping their tails in ink and then using their tails as pens. When Sagwa accidently falls in an ink pot and then walks across the scroll she has been working on, her pawprint changes the wording of the new law. This mistake results in a surge in the magistrate`s popularity and so he gives all the cats a place of honor in his household. From that point on, many cats mark their faces, paws, and tails with dark ink in honor of Sagwa. Color illustrations accompany the text.