Tom Strynd says he is going to drown Fankle the cat in the millpond unless Jenny rescues him, so even though her mother hates cats, Jenny takes him home. Fankle tells Jenny the stories of his different lives with pirates, in ancient Egypt and even with the Empress of China. George Mackay Brown weaves the story of Orkney's villagers into his writing in his own inimitable style, resulting in a rewarding read for adults and children alike.