The Cat and the Mouse
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The cat and the mouse
Play'd in the malt-house:
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The cat bit the mouse's tail off. "Pray, puss. Give me
my tail." "No," says the cat, "I'll not give you your
tail, till you go to the cow, and fetch me some milk."
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First she leapt, and then she ran,
Till she came to the cow, and thus began:
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"Pray, Cow, give me milk, that I may give cat milk,
that cat may give me my own tail again." "No," said
the cow, "I will give you no milk, till you go to the
farmer, and get me some hay."
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First she leapt, and then she ran,
Till she came to the farmer, and thus began:
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"Pray, Farmer, give me hay, that I may give cow hay,
that cow may give me milk, that I may give cat milk,
that cat may give me my own tail again." "No," says
the farmer, "I'll give you no hay till you go to the
butcher and fetch me some meat."
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First she leapt, and then she ran,
Till she came to the butcher, and thus began:
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"Pray, Butcher, give me meat, that I may give farmer
meat, that farmer may give me hay, that I may give cow
hay, that cow may give me milk, that I may give cat
milk, that cat may give
me my own tail again." "No,"
says the butcher, "I'll give you no meat, till you go
to the baker and fetch me some bread."
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First she leapt, and then she ran,
Till she came to the farmer, and thus began:
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"Pray, Baker, give me bread, that I may give butcher
bread, that butcher may give me meat, that I may give
farmer meat, that farmer may give me hay, that I may
give cow hay, that cow may give me milk, that I may
give cat milk, that cat may give me my own tail again."
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"Yes," says the baker, "I'll give you some bread,
But if you eat my meal, I'll cut off your head."
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Then the baker gave mouse bread, and mouse gave butcher
bread, and butcher gave mouse meat, and mouse gave
farmer meat, and farmer gave mouse hay, and mouse gave
cow hay, and cow gave mouse milk, and mouse gave cat
milk, and cat gave mouse her own tail again.
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