Conradin, a sickly ten year old boy

Conradin, a sickly ten year old boy who lives with his cousin and guardian, Mrs. De Ropp, secretly takes care of a polecat-ferret whom he calls Sredni Vashtar. He invents a religion of his own with Sredni Vashtar as the god of the religion, a merciless and vengeful god. Mrs. De Ropp notices that Conradin has been visiting the shed (where the ferret and a Houdan hen lives) in the garden and announced to Conradin that the hen was sold and taken that night. Destressed, Conradin begs his god to do something for him. His cousin noticed again that the visits did not cease and decided to clear out whatever Conradin was keeping in the shed. Conradin was ordered to stay in the house and he defiantly calls out a hymn: "Sredni Vashtar went forth, his thoughts were red thoughts and his teeth were white. His enemies called for peace, but he brought them death. Sredni Vashtar the Beautiful. " Later, he sees the ferret with dark wet stains around its mouth taking a drink. While people screamed outside, Conradin made himself a piece of toast.