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INTRODUCTION
This seems like a fairly simple story, but a close look at the interactions between two characters can help us understand something about human nature--which is true of most fairy tales.
Words in bold type are discussed in the Notes.
THE TALE
[1] A certain cat became friends a mouse, and had said so much to her about the great love and friendship she felt for her, that finally the mouse agreed that they should live together. "But we must provide food for winter, or else we shall suffer from hunger," said the cat, "and you, little mouse, cannot go out anywhere, or you will be caught in a trap someday."
[2] The good advice was followed. They bought a pot of fat, but they did not know where to put it. Finally, after much consideration, the cat said, "I know no place better to store it than in the church. No one dares take anything away from there! We will set it beneath the altar, and not touch it until we really need it."
[3] So they placed the pot in that safe place, but it was not long before the cat had a great yearning for it. She said to the mouse, "I want to tell you something, little mouse; my cousin has brought a little son into the world, and has asked me to be godmother. He is white with brown spots, and I am to hold him over the font at the christening. Let me go out today, and you look after the house by yourself."
[4] "Yes, yes," answered the mouse, "by all means go! If you get anything very good, think of me. I would love to have a drop of sweet red christening wine too."
[5] All this, however, was untrue; the cat had no cousin, and had not been asked to be godmother. She went straight to the church, crept up to the pot of fat, and began to lick at it. She licked the top of the fat right off!
[6] Then she took a walk upon the roofs of the town, looked out for opportunities, and stretched herself in the sun, and licked her lips whenever she thought of the pot of fat. She did not return home until evening.
[7] "Well, here you are again," said the mouse. "No doubt you have had a merry day."
[8] "All went well," answered the cat.
[9] "What name did they give the child?" the mouse asked.
[10] "Top off," said the cat quite coolly.
[11] "Top off!" cried the mouse. "That is a very odd and uncommon name. Is it a usual one in your family?"
[12] "What does it matter?" asked the cat. "It is no worse than Crumb-stealer, as your godchildren are called."
* * * * * * * *
[13] Before long the cat had another fit of longing. She said to the mouse, "You must do me a favor, and once more manage the house alone for a day. I am again asked to be godmother, and, since the child has a white ring round its neck, I can hardly refuse."
[14] The innocent mouse gave her permission. But the cat crept behind the town walls to the church, and devoured half the pot of fat. "Nothing ever seems so good as what one keeps to oneself," said she, and was quite satisfied with her day's work.
[15] When she went home the mouse asked, "And what was this child christened?"
[16] "Half-done," answered the cat.
[17] "Half-done! What are you saying? I never heard that name in my life! I'll bet anything it is not in the Calendar!"
* * * * * * * *
[18] The cat's mouth soon began to water for some more licking. "All good things come in threes," said she to the mouse. "I am asked to stand godmother again. The child is quite black, but it has white paws, With that one exception, it has not a single white hair on its whole body. This only happens once every few years! You will let me go, won't you?"
[19] "Top-off! Half-done!" answered the mouse. "They are such odd names! They make me very thoughtful."
[20] "You sit at home all the time," said the cat, "in your dark-grey fur coat and long tail, and are filled with fancies. That's because you do not go out in the daytime."
[21] While the cat was out, the mouse cleaned the house and put it in order. But the greedy cat entirely emptied the pot of fat! "When everything is eaten up one has some peace," said she to herself, and well filled and fat she did not return home till night.
[22] The mouse at once asked what name had been given to the third child.
[23] "It will not please you more than the others," said the cat. "He is called All-gone."
[24] "All-gone!" cried the mouse. "That is the most suspicious name of all! I have never seen it in print. All-gone! What can that mean?" and she shook her head, curled herself up, and lay down to sleep.
* * * * * * * *
[25] From this time forth no one invited the cat to be godmother, but when the winter had come and there was no longer any food to be found outside, the mouse thought of their stored up food, and said, "Come, cat, we will go to our pot of fat which we have stored up for ourselves. Let's enjoy that."
[26] "Yes," answered the cat, "you will enjoy it as much as you would enjoy sticking that dainty tongue of yours out of the window."
[27] They set out on their way, but when they arrived, the pot was certainly still in its place, but it was empty.
[28] "Alas!" said the mouse. "Now I see what has happened! Now it comes to light! You are a true friend! You have devoured all when you were standing godmother. First top off, then half done, then--"
[29] "Will you hold your tongue!" cried the cat. "One more word and I will eat you too."
[30] "All gone" was already on the poor mouse's lips; scarcely had she spoken it before the cat jumped on her, seized her, and swallowed her down.
[31] Verily, that is the way of the world.
NOTES
- "Cat and mouse" in English can refer to "the act of toying with or tormenting something before destroying it," which is certainly what happens here.
- According to D. L. Ashliman, the cat's gender is unclear in the German. He has chosen to make the cat a male; I prefer Hunt's decision to make her female, as that seems more suitable for roommates.
- "It is no worse than Crumb-stealer" [12] and "are filled with fancies" [20]: Note that the cat is engaging in what today we call "gaslighting," manipulating the mouse to make her feel she is the one in the wrong.
- "you will enjoy it as much as you would enjoy sticking that dainty tongue of yours out of the window" [26]: Tasting the empty air, since the pot is also empty.
- "You are a true friend!" [28]: Sarcasm.
- A few words (found in bold above):
- altar: the main "table" used for ceremonies at the front of a church
- Calendar: an official listing of saints' days approved by the Roman Catholic Church. At one time, Christian children's names were supposed to be selected from those listed in the Calendar.
- christening: the baptism of a baby, including giving it an official name
- consideration: serious thought
- fancies: imaginings
- font: the "bowl" of water in which a baby is christened
- longing: desire
- verily: truly
- yearning: desire
SUMMARY
A cat and a mouse become roommates, and agree to store up some fat for the winter. But the cat secretly eats it up a little at a time, hinting to the mouse what she's doing. When the mouse finally catches on, the cat eats her.
QUESTIONS
- Did the cat really feel "the great love and friendship" for the mouse? [1]
- Why did the cat tell the mouse not to go out, right after deciding to buy a pot of fat? [1]
- Do you think it's a good idea to store your food in a church? [2]
- Why does the cat always tell the color of the (imaginary) "godchildren"? Do the colors have any meaning? [3, 13, 18]
- When the cat gives the "godchildren's" names, do you think she's purposely giving the mouse hints about what she has been doing? [10, 16, 24]
- Do you agree that "When everything is eaten up one has some peace"? Put in the negative, can we not stop thinking about something until it's all gone? [21]
- Why does the mouse say "All gone" after the cat's warning? [30]
- Do you agree that "that is the way of the world"? [31]
- With whom do you most identify, the cat or the mouse?
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