These priests, called kittahs, were forced to flee to the remote mountains of northern Burma to escape their enemies. They built a temple there. ¤ＷwＷ.FaＩｒＹ-ＴAＬE。IＮfOαたφВ

The temple was known as Lao-Tsun, or "house of the gods," and was hidden amidst winding pathways and towering mountain walls. There, the priests could worship in peace. ¤wＷｗ．FAｉｒY－Tａle。ＩＮｆoヵzサuí

Mun-Ha was the chief priest. His favorite cat was Sinh, one of a hundred cats at the temple. The kittahs adored this creature, with its yellow eyes, white body, and ears, tail, nose and paws a dark brown. ホrWｗW.FaＩrｙ－ＴＡLe．iＮｆｏ∑Hfヴて

One night, the enemy came to destroy the temple. On that night, Mun-Ha died suddenly, and as he did, a miracle took place. ㄖ≡Www.FAIＲＹ-TａlE。iＮｆｏㄖつpR≯し

Sinh leaped upon his dead master's head. A moment later his white hair became golden, and his golden eyes became dazzling sapphire. Sinh turned his head toward the temple's door, and as he turned, each brown paw turned white.

The kittahs thought that their leader was using the cat to command them, and so they rushed to the bronze doors. They barred the doors just in time to stop the invaders. RタЛㄅゥｗWw。FａiＲｙ－TａＬE.ｉｎｆｏ5gτū

The kittahs believed that Mun-Ha lived on in Sinh. After seven days Sinh died, and the kittahs believed that he carried Mun-Ha's soul to the paradise of the gods. ぇ※З◎wｗw.ＦaＩｒＹ－talE。iＮＦoЙほ≈

The priests met to decide who should succeed Mun-Ha as leader. The 99 remaining cats came running, each now gold and white with sapphire blue eyes .

The kittahs bowed to the cats. They thought the souls of their past masters inhabited these cats. They watched as the cats formed a large circle around the youngest priest, a man named Legoa.

"Legoa shall take Mun-Ha's place," the priests declared. §www.ＦAiＲY-ｔaLＥ．iｎＦＯD

The descendants of these 99 cats, known as Birman cats, look today just as Sinh did when he was transformed. Their fur is a misty gold, their paws white as snow, and their eyes deepest sapphire.