Once upon a time a Cat and Mouse were playing together, when, quite
by accident, the cat bit off the Mouse's tail.
It was very strange that the Cat did not bite off the Mouse's head.
But this Mouse was a good Mouse, and never stole any cheese; and so
the Cat only bit off her tail. Mousey was very much vexed to see that
her tail was gone, so she said to Pussy--
"Oh, dear Pussy! do give me my tail again."
"No, that I will not," said Pussy, "till you get me some milk for
my breakfast."
"Oh, the Cow will give me some," said the Mouse.
So she frisked and jumped, and then she ran
Till she came to the Cow, and thus began:--
"Please, Cow, give me some milk. I want to give Pussy milk, and
Pussy will give me my own tail again."
"So I will, Mousey, if you will get me some hay for my breakfast."
said the Cow.
"Oh, the Farmer will give me some," said the Mouse.
So she frisked and jumped, and then she ran
Till she came to the Farmer, and thus began:--
"Please, Mr. Farmer, give me some hay; I want to give the Cow hay.
The Cow will give me some milk; I will give Pussy milk; and Pussy
will give me my own tail again."
"So I will, Mousey, if you get me some bread for my breakfast,"
said the Farmer.
"Oh, the Baker will give me some," said the Mouse.
So she frisked and jumped, and then she ran
Till she came to the Baker, and thus began:--
"Please, Mr. Baker, give me some bread; I want to give the Farmer
bread. The Farmer will give me some hay; I will give the Cow hay,
the Cow will give me some milk; I will give Pussy milk; and Pussy
will give me my own tail again."
"So I will, Mousey, if you get me some meat for my breakfast," said
the baker.
"Oh, the Butcher will give me some," said the Mouse.
So she frisked and jumped, and then she ran
Till she came to the Butcher, and thus began:--
"Please, Mr. Butcher, give me some meat. I want to give the Baker
meat. The Baker will give me some bread; I will give the Farmer
bread. The Farmer will give me some hay; I will give the Cow hay,
the Cow will give me some milk; I will give Pussy milk; and Pussy
will give me my own tail again."
"So I will, Mousey, if you will eat up the crumbs that have fallen
at my breakfast," said the Butcher.
"Oh, that I will," said the Mouse, and she soon cleared the floor
of every crumb.
Then the Butcher gave the Mouse some meat, and the Mouse gave the
Baker the meat, and the Baker gave the Mouse some bread, and the
Mouse gave the Farmer the bread, and the Farmer gave the Mouse some
hay, and the Mouse gave the Cow the hay, and the Cow gave the Mouse
some milk, and the Mouse gave Pussy the milk, and then Pussy gave
poor little Mousey her own tail again.
So she frisked and jumped, and away she ran
And cried out to Pussy, "Catch me if you can!"