Belling the Cat

There was a sly Cat, it seems, in a certain house, and the Mice were so plagued with her at every turn that they called a court to advise upon some ways to prevent being surprised. "If you’ll be ruled by me," says one of the Mice, "there’s nothing like hanging a bell about the Cat’s neck, to give warning beforehand when Puss is coming." They all looked upon it as a capital contrivance. "Well," says another, "and now we are agreed upon the bell, say who shall put it about the Cat’s neck?" But there was no one ready to bell the Cat.