“I do not choose to live as a cat,” he said, “I am trapped.  It is my own doing.  I cast the enchantment that holds me, none other.” 
     He paused as a door creaked and footsteps sounded on the stairs.  Another door opened and closed and they heard the bath filling.
     “It happened in Egypt a long, long time ago, even before the pyramids were built.  I heard Pharaoh, the ruler of that land, praying for aid and, condensing my gigantic proportions to those of a man, I appeared before him.
     ‘Great Lord Ra,’ he cried, ‘a dreadful plague has fallen on Egypt.’
     ‘Tell me Pharaoh,’ I said, ‘what is this plague of which thou speaks?’
     ‘It is a plague of rats, enormous numbers of them.  They have entered our  granaries.  We are unable to drive them out to save the stores on which my people depend.  Help us, Lord Ra, or all Egypt will starve.’
     I am forbidden to take life myself or I could have slain the rats with a word.  I had to come up with a better idea. 
     My power rests partly in my possession of a powerful spell-stone, the Atenstone, with which I can create and shape life, or change life already existing.  In my mind’s eye I saw a creature with sharp teeth and claws to rip, tear and kill, with speed like lightning, and with a long neck to accommodate true speech.
     I called upon the Lords of Egypt and explained my plan.  Some were doubtful at first but, in the end, every man volunteered.  I put the Atenstone in its gold setting on a thong about my neck.  I grasped the hands of two of the men, then told them all to link hands with the man on either side.  Thus all were linked with me.  Then I called on the power of the Atenstone.

     ‘Eye of the Sun, Stone of Fire,
     The Son of the Sun calls on thy power.
     See thou the vision in my mind
     And change our shapes to give it flesh.
     Keep thou this shape secure and fast
     Until once more I call on thee.’

     The power ran through us, linked as we were.  I felt their fear as the change began to take place and cried, ‘Take courage, I am with you, you will come to no harm.’  (description here) 
     Though I must not kill I knew that I must fight beside my men to give them confidence.  Tails swishing and claws bared, we entered the granaries.
We made short work of the rats, those not killed fled into the desert.  Not one of my companions was lost.  A few were injured, but not mortally.  We marched round the granaries in glorious triumph before I used the Atenstone to change everyone back into their proper selves. 
     There followed many years of peace and plenty.  The old Pharaoh died and it was his son, Pharaoh himself now, who now called on me for aid.  The rats had returned.
     The young men, sons of the Lords in my first band, knew the story of the first battle with rats and were eager to volunteer.
      I had not, however expected the royal ladies to wish to take part.
     ‘We know of the battle and have honoured our fathers for their parts in it.  But we are as brave as the men, and are quicker, more cunning and more enduring, why should we not take part?’ asked Lady Bastet.
      A few of the men grumbled.  ‘It is not the work of women,’ said Lord Meris.  I, however, thought there was little danger .
      ‘Ladies of Egypt,’ I said, ‘I can see no good reason why I should not grant your request.’
      Once more hands were linked, once more I called on the Atenstone to change our shapes and hold them, ‘secure and fast.' ”