Cat And Mouse In Partnership

: Grimms' Fairy Tales

A certain cat had made the acquaintance of a mouse, and had said so much

to her about the great love and friendship she felt for her, that at

length the mouse agreed that they should live and keep house together.

'But we must make a provision for winter, or else we shall suffer

from hunger,' said the cat; 'and you, little mouse, cannot venture

everywhere, or you will be caught in a trap some day.' The good advice

was f llowed, and a pot of fat was bought, but they did not know where

to put it. At length, after much consideration, the cat said: 'I know no

place where it will be better stored up than in the church, for no one

dares take anything away from there. We will set it beneath the altar,

and not touch it until we are really in need of it.' So the pot was

placed in safety, but it was not long before the cat had a great

yearning for it, and said to the mouse: 'I want to tell you something,

little mouse; my cousin has brought a little son into the world, and has

asked me to be godmother; he is white with brown spots, and I am to hold

him over the font at the christening. Let me go out today, and you look

after the house by yourself.' 'Yes, yes,' answered the mouse, 'by all

means go, and if you get anything very good to eat, think of me. I

should like a drop of sweet red christening wine myself.' All this,

however, was untrue; the cat had no cousin, and had not been asked to

be godmother. She went straight to the church, stole to the pot of fat,

began to lick at it, and licked the top of the fat off. Then she took a

walk upon the roofs of the town, looked out for opportunities, and then

stretched herself in the sun, and licked her lips whenever she thought

of the pot of fat, and not until it was evening did she return home.

'Well, here you are again,' said the mouse, 'no doubt you have had a

merry day.' 'All went off well,' answered the cat. 'What name did they

give the child?' 'Top off!' said the cat quite coolly. 'Top off!' cried

the mouse, 'that is a very odd and uncommon name, is it a usual one in

your family?' 'What does that matter,' said the cat, 'it is no worse

than Crumb-stealer, as your godchildren are called.'



Before long the cat was seized by another fit of yearning. She said to

the mouse: 'You must do me a favour, and once more manage the house for

a day alone. I am again asked to be godmother, and, as the child has a

white ring round its neck, I cannot refuse.' The good mouse consented,

but the cat crept behind the town walls to the church, and devoured

half the pot of fat. 'Nothing ever seems so good as what one keeps to

oneself,' said she, and was quite satisfied with her day's work. When

she went home the mouse inquired: 'And what was the child christened?'

'Half-done,' answered the cat. 'Half-done! What are you saying? I

never heard the name in my life, I'll wager anything it is not in the

calendar!'



The cat's mouth soon began to water for some more licking. 'All good

things go in threes,' said she, 'I am asked to stand godmother again.

The child is quite black, only it has white paws, but with that

exception, it has not a single white hair on its whole body; this only

happens once every few years, you will let me go, won't you?' 'Top-off!

Half-done!' answered the mouse, 'they are such odd names, they make me

very thoughtful.' 'You sit at home,' said the cat, 'in your dark-grey

fur coat and long tail, and are filled with fancies, that's because

you do not go out in the daytime.' During the cat's absence the mouse

cleaned the house, and put it in order, but the greedy cat entirely

emptied the pot of fat. 'When everything is eaten up one has some

peace,' said she to herself, and well filled and fat she did not return

home till night. The mouse at once asked what name had been given to

the third child. 'It will not please you more than the others,' said the

cat. 'He is called All-gone.' 'All-gone,' cried the mouse 'that is the

most suspicious name of all! I have never seen it in print. All-gone;

what can that mean?' and she shook her head, curled herself up, and lay

down to sleep.



From this time forth no one invited the cat to be godmother, but

when the winter had come and there was no longer anything to be found

outside, the mouse thought of their provision, and said: 'Come, cat,

we will go to our pot of fat which we have stored up for ourselves--we

shall enjoy that.' 'Yes,' answered the cat, 'you will enjoy it as much

as you would enjoy sticking that dainty tongue of yours out of the

window.' They set out on their way, but when they arrived, the pot of

fat certainly was still in its place, but it was empty. 'Alas!' said the

mouse, 'now I see what has happened, now it comes to light! You a true

friend! You have devoured all when you were standing godmother. First

top off, then half-done, then--' 'Will you hold your tongue,' cried the

cat, 'one word more, and I will eat you too.' 'All-gone' was already on

the poor mouse's lips; scarcely had she spoken it before the cat sprang

on her, seized her, and swallowed her down. Verily, that is the way of

the world.