The Cat and the Mouse

Once there was a cat and a mouse.

They lived in the same house.

The cat bit the mouse's tail off.

"Pray, puss," said the mouse,

"give me my long tail again."

"No, " said the cat,

"I will not give you your tail

till you bring me some milk."

First she leaped,

And then she ran,

Till she came to the cow,

And thus she began:

"Pray, cow, give me some milk for the cat.

Then she will give me my long tail again."

"No," said the cow,

"I will give you no milk

till you bring me some hay.

First she leaped,

And then she ran,

Till she came to the farmer,

And thus she began:

"Pray, farmer, give me some hay

for the cow.

Then she will give me some milk

for the cat,

And then the cat will give me

my long tail again."

"No," said the farmer,

"I will give you no hay

till you bring me some meat."

First she leaped,

And then she ran,

Till she came to the butcher,

And thus she began:

"Pray, butcher, give me some meat

for the farmer.

Then he will give me some hay

for the cow,

The cow will give me some milk

for the cat,

And then the cat will give me

my long tail again."

"No," said the butcher,

"I will give you no meat

till you bring me some bread."

First she leaped,

And then she ran,

Till she came to the baker,

And thus she began:

"Pray, baker, give me some bread

for the butcher.

Then he will give me some meat

for the farmer,

The farmer will give me some hay

for the cow,

The cow will give me some milk

for the cat,

And then the cat will give me

my long tail again."

"Yes," said the baker,

"I will give you some bread.

But if you eat my flour,

I will cut off your head."

The baker gave the mouse some bread,

and she took it to the butcher.

The butcher gave the mouse some meat,

and she took it to the farmer.

The farmer gave the mouse some hay,

and she took it to the cow.

The cow gave the mouse some milk,

and she took it to the cat.

And then the cat gave the mouse

her long tail again.

— English Folk Tale