the Cat and the Mouse

A naughty cat bit a mouse’s tail off.

“Cat, please give me my tail back,” said the mouse. “No,” said the cat, “If you want me to give you your tail, you must go to the cow and get some milk for me first.”

The mouse leapt, and ran to find the cow. The mouse came to the cow, and said, “Cow, please give me milk, so I can give it to cat, so cat will give me my tail back.”

“No,” answered the cow, “If you want me to give you some milk, you have to go to the farmer and get some hay for me first.”

The mouse leapt, and then she ran, till she came to the farmer. “Farmer, please give me hay so I can give it to cow, so cow will give me milk, so I can give the milk to cat, so cat will give me my tail back,” said the mouse.

 “No,” answered the farmer, “If you want me to give you hay, you must go to the butcher and get some meat for me first.”

Again, the mouse leapt, and then she ran, to the butcher. "Butcher, please give me meat, so I can give farmer meat, so farmer will give me hay, so I can give cow hay, so cow will give me milk, so I can give cat milk, so cat will give me my own tail again.”

“No,” answered the butcher, “If you want to me to give you meat, you must go to the baker and get some bread for me first.”

The mouse leapt, and then she ran, to the baker. “Baker, please give me bread, so I can give butcher bread, so butcher will give me meat, so I can give farmer meat, so farmer will give me hay, so I can give cow hay, so cow will give me milk, so I can give cat milk, so cat will give me my tail back.”

“Sure,” said the baker, “Here's some bread, but if you ever eat my meal, I will punish you.”

Then the baker gave mouse bread, and mouse gave butcher bread, and butcher gave mouse meat, and mouse gave farmer meat, and farmer gave mouse hay, and mouse gave cow hay, and cow gave mouse milk, and mouse gave cat milk, and cat gave mouse her own tail again.

By Joseph Jacobs

Source : http://etc.usf.edu/lit2go/68/fairy-tales-and-other-traditional-stories/4864/the-cat-and-the-mouse/