The Jellicle Chronicles - Year Six

Too Many Tuggers

The Village was small enough to know some very special types. When Old Deuteronomy lived here, everyone knew him, and would go out of their way for him. As the tale goes, one time they closed down a main street because the old Jellicle had found a particularly nice spot to lie on the pavement. Yes, special characters had special privileges in the Village. 

      One other Jellicle was well known to the Humans and other citizens of the Village - a certain maned Jellicle named Rum Tum Tugger. In cat-form, Tugger was still as spectacular as his Jellicle form. Mostly black, Tugger had a Tiger Tabby head and neck that extended down his chest and belly fur. This “mane” tended to be longer than the black coat hairs and gave him a “lion” look. His paws had “gloves” of the same gold tiger markings that some thought looked more like spots than stripes. Add his tiger colored tail, and you had the Tugger. Regardless, the Village citizens, Humans and Cats alike, knew Tugger on sight. 

      Humans often pick up subtleties of the Jellicle character, because of the nature of this particular form of “cat.” Of course, many Jellicles would argue that they were not “cats” at all. These types would say cat-like, and would prefer just to be called Jellicles. Tugger, to get back to the subject at hand, had a definite strut or even swagger that would have identified him without the magnificent coat. He carried his head proudly erect, and his tail would usually be in the “flag” position of a confident cat. 

      Tugger was usually found “everywhere” in the Village - and that truly meant “everywhere.” If there was a way into a place, Tugger knew about, or would find it. There was no hiding anything from the Tugger. He would sniff it out eventually. Most of the time, the Villages knew of only one way to protect anything from the Tugger, and that was to place it in plain sight! Once he knew what something was, it was boring and beneath his interest. 

      Was Tugger as respected as Old Deuteronomy? Well, here is where one truly needs to consult the dictionary. To be respected, one had to be worthy of esteem, of note and of repute; to be decent in behavior or character; and to be able to refrain from improper conduct. Sadly, Tugger did not have the same aspect as the Elder Cat. Tugger was well known, and admired by the Human Ladies and Gentlemen alike. But, he was a “ladies-cat” in the neighborhood. During one time, you could ask any female Jellicle from Windsor to London and all places surrounding and in between if they knew Tugger, and the answer would be a solid “Yes.” The tonality of the answer would often explain whether that Queen had a certain opinion of Tugger at the time. Did he still have the knack? Tugger would tell you one story, and not necessarily the right one. 

      In the Yard, Tugger had something he never had before. He had two Queens who had given him stability. Cassandra was the first. The Jellicle Tribe viewed the exotic Burmese as a “mystic” - capable of seeing into the minds of other Jellicles. Her demeanor often gave others the concept of her being aloof, until she decided to join in with the fun. Most of the time she was unreadable by anyone who did not truly know her. Tugger found out later that this was a turn-on for a curious cat. When she “allowed” the Leopard Cat to accompany her to Festivals, it proved too much to be denied. Tugger had to confess that his bachelor ways were often unsatisfying, and having someone like Cassie in his life solved that problem. When she bore him a female kitten, named Leona, her status as his First Queen was rock solid. 

      The second one to affect the Tugger was Silvana. This Princess had come from the north where her name described her primary love: the forest. Born and raised in the borders of the Sherwood Forest, the Silver Princess danced in the meadow near her home. Torn away from that home by an unexpected move, her carrier came loose and placed her in a traumatic experience that was eased by Skimbleshanks, the Railway Cat. In Jellicle form, her feminine mane and markings were almost a negative match for Tugger. Soon, her talents were discovered as well. Like Cassandra, she was a mystic. But, she also had the ability to hide in such a way as to be unseen in plain sight. Mistoffelees found one more, but this tale we will speak later. Her bonding to the Tugger was a further blessing to him, and two young Toms now bore his colors, Nuada in silver and black, and Maahes in gold and black.