When Noah was calling the animals into the Ark, there was one cat who
was out mousing and took no notice when he was calling to her. She
was a good mouser, but this time she had trouble to find a mouse and
she took a notion that she wouldn't go into the Ark without one.
So at last, when Noah had all the animals safe inside, and he saw
the rain beginning to fall, and no sign of her coming in, he said:
'Who's out is out, and who's in is in!' And with that he was just
closing the door when the cat came running up, half drowned--that's
why cats hate the water--and just squeezed in, in time. But Noah had
slammed the door as she ran in and it cut off her tail, so she got in
without it, and that is why Manx cats have no tails to this day. That
cat said:
Bee bo bend it,
My tail's ended,
And I'll go to Mann
And get copper nails,
And mend it.