There was cat who kept a store,
With other cats for customers.
His milk and mice
All packed in ice--
His catnip all in canisters.
Fresh milk he furnished every day--
Two times a day and sometimes three--
And so this cat
Grew rich and fat
And proud as any cat could be.
But though so fat and rich he grew
He was not satisfied at all--
At last quoth he,
"A king I'll be
Of other cats both great and small."
[Illustration: AND SO THIS CAT CREW RICH AND FAT]
[Illustration]
Then hied he to the tinner cat,
Who made for him a tinsel crown,
And on the street,
A king complete,
He soon went marching up and down.
[Illustration]
Now, many cats came out to see,
And some were filled with awe at him;
While some, alack,
Behind his back
Did laugh and point a paw at him.
[Illustration: HIS CLERKS]
Mice, milk, and catnip did he scorn;
He went to business less and less--
And everywhere
He wore an air
Of arrogance and haughtiness.
His clerks ate catnip all day long--
They spent much time in idle play;
They left the mice
From off the ice--
They trusted cats who could not pay.
[Illustration: A SOLEMN LOOK WAS IN HIS FACE]
While happy in his tin-shop crown
Each day the king went marching out,
Elate because
He thought he was
The kind of king you read about.
But lo, one day, he strolled too far,
And in a dim and dismal place
A cat he met,
Quite small, and yet
A solemn look was in his face.
One fiery eye this feline wore--
A waif he was of low degree--
No gaudy dress
Did he possess,
Nor yet a handsome cat was he.
But lo, he smote that spurious king
And stripped him of his tinsel crown,
Then like the wind
Full close behind
He chased His Highness into town.
With cheers his subjects saw him come.
He did not pause--he did not stop,
But straight ahead
He wildly fled
Till he was safe within his shop.
He caught his breath and gazed about--
A sorry sight did he behold:
No catnip there
Or watchful care--
No mice and milk and joy of old.
He heaved a sigh and dropped a tear--
He sent those idle clerks away--
Quoth he, "My pride
Is satisfied;
This kingdom business does not pay."
With care once more he runs his store,
His catnip all in canisters--
His milk and mice
All packed in ice,
And humbly serves his customers.
[Illustration: QUOTH HE, "MY PRIDE IS SATISFIED; THIS KINGDOM BUSINESS
DOES NOT PAY"]