The Cat and the Mouse

The cat and the mouse

Played in the malt-house.

The cat bit the mouse's tail off.

"Pray, Puss, give me my tail again."

"No," said the cat, "I'll not give you your tail again till you go to the cow and fetch me some milk."

First she leaped, and then she ran,

Till she came to the cow, and thus began:

"Pray, Cow, give me some milk that I may give to the Cat, so she may give me my tail again."

"No," said the Cow, "I will give you no milk till you go to the farmer and get me some hay."

First she leaped, and then she ran,

Till she came to the Farmer, and thus began:

"Pray, Farmer, give me some hay that I may give to the Cow, so she may give me some milk that I may give to the Cat, so she may give me my tail again."

"No," said the Farmer, "I'll give you no hay till you go to the Butcher and fetch me some meat."

First she leaped, and then she ran,

Till she came to the Butcher, and thus began:

"Pray, Butcher, give me some meat that I may give to the Farmer, so he may give me some hay that I may give to the Cow, so she may give me some milk that I may give to the Cat, so she may give me my tail again."

"No," said the Butcher, "I'll give you no meat till you go to the Baker and fetch me some bread."

First she leaped, and then she ran,

Till she came to the Baker, and thus began:

"Pray, Baker, give me some bread that I may give to the Butcher, so he may give me some meat that I may give to the Farmer, so he may give me some hay that I may give to the Cow, so she may give me some milk that I may give to the Cat, so she may give me my tail again."

"Well," said the Baker, "I'll give you some bread,

But don't eat my meal, or I'll cut off your head."

The Baker gave the mouse bread, which she brought to the Butcher; the Butcher gave the mouse meat which she brought to the Farmer; the Farmer gave the mouse hay which she brought to the Cow; the Cow gave the mouse milk which she brought to the Cat; and the Cat gave to the mouse her tail again.