Cat Fables
Belling the Cat
Some mice once called a meeting to decide on a plan to forever free themselves of their enemy, the Cat. They at least wished to find some way of knowing when she was coming, so they could have a chance to run away. Something had to be done, and soon, for they lived in such constant fear or her claws and teeth that they hardly dared to stir from the dens by night or day.
Many plans were discussed, but none were thought to be good enough. At last a very young Mouse stood up and said: "I have a plan that seems quite simple, but it will work, I am sure. All that has to be done is hang a bell around the Cat's neck. When we hear the bell ring, we will know that she is coming, and we can run."
All the mice were quite surprised that they hadn't thought of this themselves, or that such a simple plan was never thought of before. They began to rejoice at the wonderful plan.
In the midst of their glee, an old Mouse stood up and said: "I will say th at the plan of young Mouse is a very good one. However, I have one question. Who will be the one to bell the Cat?
It is one thing to say something is to be done, and another to do it.
*****
The Cat and the Monkey
A Cat and a Monkey lived as pets in the same house. They were great friends and constantly in some sort of mischief together. What they seemed to think of more than anything else was food and how to get it.
One day the two were sitting by the fire, watching some chestnuts roast on the hearth. They wanted the chestnuts very badly to eat. "I would gladly get them," the cunning monkey said, "but you are so much more skilled at these sorts of things than I am. Pull them out and I will devide them between us."
The Cat carfully pushed aside some burning cinders, and pulled he paw back quickly. She then proceeded to draw out the chestnuts one at a time, each time singeing her paw severly. As fast as the Cat pulled the nuts out, the Monkey ate them up.
When the Cat realized that she had done all the work and gotten nothing but a burnt paw, she had nothing to do with the Monkey from then on.
The flatterer seeks some benefit at your expense.
*****
The Rabbit, The Weasel, and the Cat
A Rabbit left his home to take a walk and have some dinner. However, he forgot to latch the door to his house and while he was gone a Weasel walked in and made himself at home. When the Rabbit returned, the Weasel was standing the the Rabbits own doorway, breathing in the fine evening air.
The angry Rabbit requested that the Weasel move out. But, the Weasel was perfectly content in the Rabbit's comfortable abode and was settled down for good.
A wise old Cat overheard the argument and offered to settle it. "Come close to me though," said the Cat, "I am very deaf. Put your mouths close to my ears while you tell me the facts."
The flustered and unsuspecting pair did as they were told and in an instant the Cat had them both under his claws, ready to be eaten. No one could deny that the dispute had definitely been settled.
The strong are apt to settle questions to thier own advantage.
*****
The Cat, The Rooster, and the Young Mouse
A very young mouse, who had never seen anything of the world was venturing out for the first time. On his first adventure, he almost came to grief, and told his mother about his experience. "I was strolling along whem just as I turned the corner, I saw two very strange creatures. One had a kind and gracious look, but the other was the most fearful monster you can imagine.
"On the top of his head and the front of his neck there were huge pieces of raw red meat. He walked around restlessly and teared the ground up with his toes, and beat his arms at the sides of his body. When he saw me he opened up his sharp mouth and let out a terribly peircing roar which scared me almost half to death.
"If it hadn't been for that terrible monster, I could have made friends with the pretty creature, who looked so good and gentle. He had thick, velvetly fur, a happy, meek face, and a very modest look about him at that, though his eyes were shining and bright. He looked at me and waved his tail at me and smiled.
"I am sure that he was about to speak to me when that dreadful monster let out that scream."
"Dear son, that gentle creature was the Cat. He has a kindly appearence, but don't be fooled. He eats us and is not our friend. You monster was just a Rooster, who will do nothing to harm you. Be thankful, for when the Rooster yelled, he saved you from being that Cat's supper."
Do not trust alone on outward appearances.
*****
The Cat and the Birds
The was once a Cat who was very hungry and growing quite thin. He was not getting enough to eat. One day he heard that some little Birds in the neighborhood were ailing and needed a doctor. So, he put on a pair of spectacles, took a leather box and knocked at the Birds' door.
The Birds peeped their heads out. The Cat, with as much solicitude as he could, asked how they were. "I would be very happy to give you some medicine," the Cat said.
The Birds laughed. "You think you are very smart, don't you. Well, we are very well, thank you, and would be even better if you would only keep away."
Be wise and shun the quack. or Know your enemies.
*****
The Cat and the Fox
Once a Cat and a Fox were traveling together. As they walked along, eating this and that, they began to argue to while away the time between bites. The argument took a turn, and began to get personal.
"You think you are so clever, don't you?" said the Fox. "Do you pretend to know more than I? Why, I know a whole sackful of tricks!"
"Well," replied the Cat,"I admit, I only know one trick only, but that one, let me tell you, is worth a thousand of yours!"
Just then, they heard the horn of a hunter, and the thumps and yelps of his pack of hounds. In an instant, the Cat was up a tree, hiding among the leaves. "This is my trick," he called to the Fox. "Now let me see what yours is worth."
But the Fox had so many plans for escape that he couldn't decide which one to use. He dodged here and there, with the hounds at his feet. He doubles back on his tracks, ran at top speed, entered a dozen or so burrows, but all in vain. The hounds caught him, and put an end to the boaster and all his tricks.
Common sense is always worth more than cunning.
*****
The Cat and the Old Rat
There was once a Cat so watchful that all the Mice hard;y dared to show the tips of his whiskers for fear of being eaten. At last, the Mice had kept so closely to thier houses that the Cat decided that he would have to use his wits to catch one. One day he climbed up on a sheld and hung downward, as if he were dead, holding himself up by clinging to some rope with one paw.
When the mice peeped thier heads out and saw him just hanging there, theyy thought he had been hung there by the Master as punishment for some misdeed. Very timidly, the Mice came out and sniffed around. When nothing stirred they all began to dance joyfully about the Cat's head, singing and celebrating the Cat's death.
Just then, the Cat let go of his hold, and before the Mice had time to come to their senses, he had eaten up four or five.
The Mice kept themselves home more strictly than ever. But, the Cat was still hungry, and he knew more tricks than one. He rolled himself in flour until he was completely covered, and he lay down in the flour bin, with one eye open for the Mice.
The Mice began to come out. A Mouse was almost within reach of the Cat's paw when an Old Rat, who had much experience with Cats, and had even lost part of his tail to one, sat up at a safe distance from the hole in the wall where he lived. "Take care!" he cried. "That may look like a pile of flour and meal, but it looks to me to be very much shaped like the Cat. Whatever it is, it is wisest to keep at a safe distance."
The wise do not let themselves be tricked a second time.
*****
The Parrot and the Cat
Some time ago a Man bought a Parrot and took her home. The man allowed his new pet to fly all around the house, and the Parrot settled in very quickly. One day soon after she arrived, the house Cat came across the Parrot sitting on her perch, chattering away quite happily to herself. The Cat, who had not yet met the Parrot, was very surprised, and asked,in a rather chilly voice, who she was and where she had come from.
The Parrot replied that the Master had just bought her. "Well," said the Cat,"You do have a nerve. Imagine a newcomer like you making such a racket, when I, who was born in this house, am not allowed to even meow. If I do, my Master gets furious and chases me away."
"Well," replied the Parrot, "My advice to you is to leave this house
and find yourself a new home.You see, the Master of the house doesn't mind my voice, but I'm afraid it seems he doesn't like yours."
Do not stay where you are not liked.
*****
The Cat-Maiden
A Cat fell in love with a handsome young Man, and asked Venus to change her into the form of a woman. Venus consented to her request and transformed her into a beautiful damsel.The Man saw her and loved her, and took her home as his bride. While the two were in their chamber, Venus wished to discover if the Cat in her change of shape had also altered her habits of life. Venus let down a mouse in the middle of the room. The Cat, quite forgetting her present condition, started up from the couch and pursued the mouse, wishing to eat it. Venus was quite disappointed and caused her to return to her former shape.
Nature exceeds nurture
*****
The Eagle, The Cat, and The Wild Sow
An eagle made her nest at the top of a lofty oak; a Cat, having found a convenient hole, moved into the middle of the trunk; and a Wild Sow, with her young, took shelter in a hollow at its foot. The Cat cunningly resolved to destroy this chance-made colony.
To carry out her design, she climbed to the nest of the Eagle, and said, "Destruction is preparing for you, and for me too, unfortunately. The Wild Sow, whom you see daily digging up the earth, wishes to uproot the oak, so she may on its fall seize our families as food for her young."
Having thus frightened the Eagle out of her senses, she crept down to the cave of the Sow, and said, "Your children are in great danger; for as soon as you go out with your litter to find food, the Eagle is prepared to pounce upon one of your little pigs."
Having instilled these fears into the Sow, she went and pretended to hide herself in the hollow of the tree. When night came she went forth with silent foot and obtained food for herself and her kittens, but feigning to be afraid, she kept a lookout all through the day.
Meanwhile, the Eagle, full of fear of the Sow, sat still on the branches, and the Sow, terrified by the Eagle, did not dare to go out from her cave. And thus they both, along with their families, perished from hunger, and afforded ample provision for the Cat and her kittens.
Don't let fear paralyze you.
*****
The Cat and the Rooster
A Cat caught a Cock, and pondered how he might find a reasonable excuse for eating him. He accused him of being a nuisance to men by crowing in the nighttime and not permitting them to sleep. The Cock defended himself by saying that he did this for the benefit of men, that they might rise in time for their labors. The Cat replied, "Although you abound in specious apologies, I shall not remain supperless"; and he made a meal of him.
Tyrants need no excuse
*****
The Cat And His Visions
A Cat decided to go to the River and catch a fish for his supper. "What a glorious vision in my head!" said the Cat as he went to the riverbank. "I see a large, fat fish on a china plate, resting in lemon juice and butter sauce." He licked his whiskers in anticipation. The Cat put a worm on a hook and threw his line into the water. He waited for a fish to bite. An hour went by, but nothing happened.
"What a vision I see!" said the Cat. "A fish on a china plate, lying in a lake of lemon juice and butter sauce." Another hour passed, and nothing happened.
"I see a vision!" said the Cat. "A small fish on a china plate, sprinkled with lemon juice and butter sauce."
Many hours later the Cat said, "I still can see a vision." "A small, thin fish on a china plate with a little drop of lemon juice and a tiny dab of butter sauce."
After a long time the Cat said sadly, "There is a new vision in my head. I see no fish. I see no lemon juice and not a bit of butter sauce. I see a china plate. It is as empty as my stomach."
The Cat was just about to leave the riverbank when he felt a sudden tug on his line. He pulled a large, fat fish out of the river.He ran home and fried the fish. He put it on a china plate. He poured a whole ocean of lemon juice and butter sauce all over it. "What a glorious supper!' said the Cat.
Good things come to those that wait.
*****
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