The White Cat (French: La Chatte Blanche) is a French literary fairytale written by Madame d'Aulnoy and published in 1698. Andrew Lang included it in The Blue Fairy Book. It is Aarne–Thompson type 402, "The Animal Bride," with close similarities to Type 310, "The Maiden in the Tower," including tales such as Rapunzel. Plot A king, fearing that he will lose his throne to one of his three sons, sets them impossible tasks to distract them. First he says that the one who can obtain the smallest and most beautiful dog will be the next king, and gives them a year to obtain it. The three princes set off separately. The youngest son travels for some time, seeking smaller dogs, until he discovers a fantastically decorated castle hidden in the woods. He soon discovers that it is inhabited entirely by intelligent, talking cats. Their queen is a beautiful little white cat, who invites the prince to dinner and entertains him. He is surprised to see that the cat wears a locket containing a portrait that looks just like him. The prince remains in the white cat's castle happily for nearly a year, enjoying many entertainments, until the white cat reminds him of his mission and bestows him with an acorn, telling him that the dog is inside. When he returns home and breaks open the acorn, inside is an impossibly tiny dog which dances before the king. Although the youngest prince is clearly the winner of the contest, the king sends the princes out once more, this time in search of muslin fine enough to be drawn through the eye of a needle. While his brothers begin to search once more, the youngest prince returns immediately to the white cat's castle and spends another year there. At the end of the year, she sends him home with a fine escort and golden chariot, as well as a walnut. The older two princes bring muslin which can fit through the eye of a large needle. Inside the youngest prince's walnut is a hazelnut seed, which contains a successively smaller seeds. Inside the smallest seed is a massive amount of muslin, magnificently embroidered, which fits through the eye of any needle. The king sets a third task, telling them that whoever can win the most beautiful princess for a bride would be king. The youngest prince returns once more to the white