1812
GRIMM'S FAIRY TALES
THE CAT AND THE MOUSE IN PARTNERSHIP
by Jacob Ludwig Grimm and Wilhelm Carl Grimm
Electronically Enhanced Text (c) Copyright 1996, World Library(R)
THE CAT AND THE MOUSE IN PARTNERSHIP
-
A CAT having made acquaintance with a mouse, pretended such great
love for her, that the mouse agreed that they should live and keep
house together.
"We must make provision for the winter," said the cat, "or we
shall suffer hunger, and you, little mouse, must not stir out, or
you will be caught in a trap."
So they took counsel together and bought a little pot of fat. And
then they could not tell where to put it for safety, but after long
consideration the cat said there could not be a better place than
the church, for nobody would steal there; and they would put it
under the altar and not touch it until they were really in want. So
this was done, and the little pot placed in safety.
But before long the cat was seized with a great wish to taste it.
"Listen to me, little mouse," said he; "I have been asked by my cousin
to stand god-father to a little son she has brought into the world; he
is white with brown spots; and they want to have the christening
today; so let me go to it, and you stay at home and keep house."
"Oh yes, certainly," answered the mouse, "pray go, by all means; and
when you are feasting on all the good things, think of me. I should so
like a drop of the sweet red wine."
But there was not a word of truth in all this; the cat had no
cousin, and had not been asked to stand god-father. He went to the
church, straight up to the little pot, and licked the fat off the top.
Then he took a walk over the roofs of the town, saw his acquaintances,
stretched himself in the sun, and licked his whiskers as often as he
thought of the little pot of fat, and then when it was evening he went
home.
"Here you are at last," said the mouse; "I expect you have had a
merry time." "Oh, pretty well," answered the cat. "And what name did
you give the child?" asked the mouse. "Top-off," answered the cat,
drily. "Top-off!" cried the mouse, "that is a singular and wonderful
name! Is it common in your family?" "What does it matter?" said the
cat; "it's not any worse than Crumb-picker, like your god-child."
A little time after this the cat was again seized with a longing.
"Again I must ask you," said he to the mouse, "to do me a favor, and
keep house alone for a day. I have been asked a second time to stand
god-father; and as the little one has a white ring round its neck, I
cannot well refuse."
So the kind little mouse consented, and the cat crept along by the
town wall until he reached the church, and going straight to the
little pot of fat, devoured half of it. "Nothing tastes so well as
what one keeps to oneself," said he, feeling quite content with his
day's work.
When he reached home, the mouse asked what name had been given to
the child. "Half-gone," answered the cat. "Half-gone!" cried the
mouse, "I never heard such a name in my life! I'll bet it's not to
be found in the calendar."
Soon after that the cat's mouth began to water again for the fat.
"Good things always come in threes," said he to the mouse; "again I
have been asked to stand god-father. The little one is quite black
with white feet, and not any white hair on its body; such a thing does
not happen every day, so you will let me go, won't you?"
"Top-off, Half-gone," murmured the mouse, "they are such curious
names, I cannot but wonder at them!" "That's because you are always
sitting at home," said the cat, "in your little gray frock and hairy
tail, never seeing the world, and fancying all sorts of things."
So the little mouse cleaned up the house and set it all in order.
Meanwhile the greedy cat went and made an end of the little pot of
fat. "Now all is finished, one's mind will be easy," said he, and came
home in the evening, quite sleek and comfortable.
The mouse asked at once what name had been given to the third child.
"It won't please you any better than the others," answered the cat.
"It is called All-gone." "All-gone!" cried the mouse. "What an
unheard-of name! I never met with anything like it! All-gone! Whatever
can it mean?" And shaking her head, she curled herself round and
went to sleep. After that the cat was not again asked to stand
god-father.
When the winter had come and there was nothing more to be had out of
doors, the mouse began to think of their store. "Come, cat," said she,
"we will fetch our pot of fat; how good it will taste, to be sure!"
"Of course it will," said the cat, "just as good as if you stuck
your tongue out of window!"
So they set out, and when they reached the place, they found the
pot, but it was standing empty.
"Oh, now I know what it all meant," cried the mouse; "now I see what
sort of a partner you have been! Instead of standing god-father you
have devoured it all up; first Top-off, then Half-gone, then"-
"Will you hold your tongue!" screamed the cat, "another word, and
I devour you too!"
And the poor little mouse, having "All-gone" on her tongue, out it
came, and the cat leaped upon her and made an end of her. And that
is the way of the world.
-
-
THE END
|
