The Boy Who Drew Cats
A boy obsessed with drawing cats is sent from temple to temple. Sleeping in a shrine haunted by a goblin, he draws cats on screens; in the night, the painted cats come alive and slay the monster—proving talent can be a weapon.
Story beats
- 1) A boy prefers drawing cats over priestly study; exasperated monks send him away to ‘fit his talents.’
- 2) He shelters in an abandoned temple warned to avoid the main hall and “avoid large places; keep to small.”
- 3) Bored and alone, he draws cats on sliding screens. At night, a goblin (or rat monster) enters; the boy hides in a cupboard.
- 4) By dawn, the monster is dead—scratched to death. The drawn cats have bloody claws.
- 5) The boy is praised; his art saved him, and he becomes a celebrated artist, fulfilling his nature.
Context & symbolism
The tale champions embracing one’s gifts, even if they defy expectations. The monk’s warning and the boy’s hiding emphasize wit over force. Art becomes literal defense; cats symbolize guardians against vermin and evil.
It suggests smallness and creativity can triumph where strength fails, and that vocation matters.
Motifs
- Talented misfit finding right path
- Living art protecting creator
- Obeying cryptic advice
- Cats as demon/rat hunters
- Hiding in small place to survive
Use it in play
- Art or inscriptions come alive to fight threats.
- Cryptic warning “avoid large places” guides puzzle resolution.
- Empower a PC’s quirky talent as key to survival.
- Painted guardians activated with ink/ritual.
- Small hiding spots foil big monsters instead of combat.
Comparative threads
- Living art tales: Similar to Chinese magic brush stories.
- Cat protectors: Maneki-neko luck, ship cats against rats.
Hooks and campaign seeds
- A magic brush lets PCs paint temporary allies.
- An abandoned shrine needs its bygone art restored to repel a yokai.
- A clue hidden in “small places” saves the day; reward creative thinking over force.