Aristos and Sasha, The black cat and the white dog

210 × 280 SPINE: 2.2 FLAPS: 70

Τ A L E S

B Y

A

M O O N S T R U C K

M A N

A ISBN: 978-960-98931-4-5 | Οσελότος, 2009

ristos was a stray cat born in a broken washtub full of old bits and pieces. His mother was a black cat her owner had got tired of and thrown out into the streets. Aristos, who was also pitch black, had got used to his life as an alley cat . . .

At that precise moment, when he had a whole set of fish bones in front of him with a morsel of meat clinging to them, he thought he had everything his heart could desire! But his heart’s desire would soon rise to much higher levels . . .

There are times when neither poverty nor riches, neither race nor color are an obstacle for feelings of pure love!

Τ A L E S

B Y

A

M O O N S T R U C K

M A N

DIONYSIS MAZITSOS

ISBN 978-960-564-335-5 | Οσελότος, 2016

ILLUSTRATION: Dionysis Karavias

ISBN 978-960-564-251-8 | Οσελότος, 2015 ISBN: 978-960-9607-19-3 | Οσελότος, 2011

140 × 210

SPINE: 3

FLAPS: 80

ΔΙΟΝΥΣΗΣ ΜΑΖΙΤΣΟΣ

Τα μουσικά ποιήματα ενός φεγγαροπαρμένου ΔΙΟΝΥΣΗΣ ΜΑΖΙΤΣΟΣ • ΤΑ ΜΟΥΣΙΚΑ ΠΟΙΗΜΑΤΑ ΕΝΟΣ ΦΕΓΓΑΡΟΠΑΡΜΕΝΟΥ

ISBN 978-960-564-430-7

Ο «Φεγγαροπαρμένος» ποιητής «Δημήτρης Σταδάς», ή κατά κόσμον Μαζίτσος Διονύσιος, είναι και συγγραφέας θεατρικών έργων, διηγημάτων και παραμυθιών. Ζει και εργάζεται στην Αθήνα όπου γεννήθηκε, (κατά σατανική σύμπτωση την ημέρα της άλωσης της «Πόλης»). Έχει εκδώσει δύο βιβλία και έχει συμμετάσχει σε δύο ομαδικές εκδόσεις παραμυθιών. Είναι επίσης μέλος του συλλόγου Εικαστικών Καλλιτεχνών Ελλάδος «Ο ΑΠΕΛΛΗΣ», και έχει συμμετάσχει σε ομαδικές εκθέσεις ζωγραφικής.

ISBN 978-960-564-118-4 ΚΕΝΤΡΙΚΗ ΔΙΑΘΕΣΗ Βατάτζη 55, 114 73 Αθήνα ΤΗΛ. : 210 6431108 ekdoseis.ocelotos@gmail.com www. ocelotos. gr

ΕΚΔΟΣΕΙΣ

οσ ελότος

Vatatzi 55 str., 114 73 Athens ISBN: 978-960-9607-19-3 | Οσελότος, 2011

ΤEL.

: +30210 6431108

E-MAIL:

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ISBN: 978-960-564-118-4 | Οσελότος, 2014

ekdoseis.ocelotos@gmail.com

www.ocelotos.gr

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DIONYSIS MAZITSOS

Aristos and Sasha The black cat and the white dog

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Tittle Aristos and Sasha The black cat and the white dog Original tittle in greek Αρίστος και Σάσα

Ο μαύρος γάτος και η λευκή σκυλίτσα

Author Dionysis Mazitsos Series Tales by a moonstruck man

Illustration Dionysis Karavias

Translation Susan Theodorakis

Layout - Design Myrtilo, Lena Pantopoulou

Copyright© 2016 Dionysis Mazitsos First Edition Athens, October 2016

ISBN 978-960-564-430-7

This publication is in copyright. Subject to statutory exception and to the provisions of relevant collective licensing agreements, no reproduction of any part may take place without the written permission of the author and of Ocelotos Publications.

Vatatzi 55 str., 114 73 Athens ΤEL.

: +30210 6431108

E-MAIL:

ekdoseis.ocelotos@gmail.com

www.ocelotos.gr

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Special thanks to Alexia Deli, for her precious help.

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Preface Once upon a time an insignificant little man was sitting by the roadside on the night of the full moon, when, as if the moon had bewitched him, he started telling fairytales to children …and that was why everyone began to say that the little man was a good man and not so insignificant, after all, and everyone was very pleased with him…

And this is one of his fairytales… a tale by a moonstruck man.

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Introduction

O

nce upon a time, by the rubbish bins in the town’s old neighborhood, among the cardboard boxes and squeezed-out lemons, a poor creature was just about to have his dinner. It was Aristos, a stray cat who had been born in a broken washtub full of old bits and pieces. His mother was a black cat whose owner had grown tired of her and thrown her out onto the streets. Aristos, who was also pitch black, had got used to his alley cat’s life. In fact, at that moment, with a whole set of fish bones in front of him and a morsel of meat clinging to them, he thought he had everything his heart could desire! Mind you, he still hadn’t set very high standards as far as his heart’s desire was concerned….

Although he had never met his father, Aristos was a born lover, just like his Dad. At least, that was what his mother used to tell him, right up to a few hours before she died of a fever and left him to fend for himself among the rubbish bins. That was why, like a true Latin lover, he would leave his poor neighborhood to roam the rich suburbs and flirt with pretty little domestic cats. So, after swallowing the fish-bones he had found with one gulp, he decided to go off on one of his rounds.

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The First Meeting

A

n hour later, Aristos was to be found in a rich neighborhood with big, detached, classic-style houses, which all had gardens, red roofs and chimney-pots.

Then, as he was jumping happily from one backyard to another, a white mouse ran out in front of him! Aristos wasted no time and set off in pursuit! As soon as the mouse realized he was being chased by a cat, he squeezed under the nearest fence, but didn’t manage to get away because Aristos jumped over the fence and caught the mouse by the tail. That was when he noticed a bright red rose bursting into flower on his captive’s back. He hadn’t noticed it before because, when the rosebud was closed, even his cats’ eyes couldn’t make it out.

“What on earth is that?” asked Aristos.

“The result of an experiment….” said the mouse and went on to explain, “I was imprisoned in a chemistry lab built by humans to make a new insecticide and fertilizer. They carried out terrible experiments on us! They fed us poison, cut us up and bombarded us with electric shocks. After I’d been injected with a purple drug, this rosebud appeared on my back and now, every time I feel any kind of strong emotion, it bursts into flower! Today they accidentally left the door of my cage open, so I took my chance and es-

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caped. But, just as I was thinking my luck had changed, I’d only just dared to leave the building they kept me in and I bumped into you! Please don’t eat me - there’s no knowing what might happen to you with all those drugs inside me!”

Aristos, however, did not seem at all alarmed.

“What’s your name?” he asked.

“Mumble,” said the mouse.

“Well, Mumble, I’ve eaten anything and everything from the rubbish bins in my neighborhood and nothing at all’s happened to me yet! I’m not going to let such a tasty tidbit go!” he said, baring his teeth….

The mouse closed his eyes and waited for the fatal blow, while the red rose on his back started to let off a sweet scent because he was so scared. But the seconds went by and the blow didn’t come! Eventually, he decided to stop being as timid as a mouse, went against his nature and opened his eyes…..

Aristos, just as he was ready to gobble up the little white mouse, had seen a pure white lady dog with a long, silky coat come into the yard. At that moment, something inside him changed. He felt his heart beating harder and his muzzle was all sweaty. He no longer felt like eating the mouse. He just wanted to talk to the wonderful lady dog he could see before him and make an impression on her in any way he could.

The mouse had also felt all sweaty, a short while ago, and his heart had beaten just as hard as Aristos’ heart. But now his pulse slowed down and the red rose closed and was invisible again. Aristos let go of the mouse’s tail and went over to the enchanting lady dog!

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210 × 280 SPINE: 2.2 FLAPS: 70

Τ A L E S

B Y

A

M O O N S T R U C K

M A N

A ISBN: 978-960-98931-4-5 | Οσελότος, 2009

ristos was a stray cat born in a broken washtub full of old bits and pieces. His mother was a black cat her owner had got tired of and thrown out into the streets. Aristos, who was also pitch black, had got used to his life as an alley cat . . .

At that precise moment, when he had a whole set of fish bones in front of him with a morsel of meat clinging to them, he thought he had everything his heart could desire! But his heart’s desire would soon rise to much higher levels . . .

There are times when neither poverty nor riches, neither race nor color are an obstacle for feelings of pure love!

Τ A L E S

B Y

A

M O O N S T R U C K

M A N

DIONYSIS MAZITSOS

ISBN 978-960-564-335-5 | Οσελότος, 2016

ILLUSTRATION: Dionysis Karavias

ISBN 978-960-564-251-8 | Οσελότος, 2015 ISBN: 978-960-9607-19-3 | Οσελότος, 2011

140 × 210

SPINE: 3

FLAPS: 80

ΔΙΟΝΥΣΗΣ ΜΑΖΙΤΣΟΣ

Τα μουσικά ποιήματα ενός φεγγαροπαρμένου ΔΙΟΝΥΣΗΣ ΜΑΖΙΤΣΟΣ • ΤΑ ΜΟΥΣΙΚΑ ΠΟΙΗΜΑΤΑ ΕΝΟΣ ΦΕΓΓΑΡΟΠΑΡΜΕΝΟΥ

ISBN 978-960-564-430-7

Ο «Φεγγαροπαρμένος» ποιητής «Δημήτρης Σταδάς», ή κατά κόσμον Μαζίτσος Διονύσιος, είναι και συγγραφέας θεατρικών έργων, διηγημάτων και παραμυθιών. Ζει και εργάζεται στην Αθήνα όπου γεννήθηκε, (κατά σατανική σύμπτωση την ημέρα της άλωσης της «Πόλης»). Έχει εκδώσει δύο βιβλία και έχει συμμετάσχει σε δύο ομαδικές εκδόσεις παραμυθιών. Είναι επίσης μέλος του συλλόγου Εικαστικών Καλλιτεχνών Ελλάδος «Ο ΑΠΕΛΛΗΣ», και έχει συμμετάσχει σε ομαδικές εκθέσεις ζωγραφικής.

ISBN 978-960-564-118-4 ΚΕΝΤΡΙΚΗ ΔΙΑΘΕΣΗ Βατάτζη 55, 114 73 Αθήνα ΤΗΛ. : 210 6431108 ekdoseis.ocelotos@gmail.com www. ocelotos. gr

ΕΚΔΟΣΕΙΣ

οσ ελότος

Vatatzi 55 str., 114 73 Athens ISBN: 978-960-9607-19-3 | Οσελότος, 2011

ΤEL.

: +30210 6431108

E-MAIL:

0_cover_mousika poiimatai.indd 1

2/10/2014 12:34:28 PM

ISBN: 978-960-564-118-4 | Οσελότος, 2014

ekdoseis.ocelotos@gmail.com

www.ocelotos.gr

0_cover_mavros gatos_ENG.indd 1

10/7/2016 11:30:48 AM