A Young Mouse, that had not seen much
of the world, came home one day and
said: "Oh, mother! I have had such a fright!
I saw a great creature strutting about on
two legs. I wonder what it was! On
his
head was a red cap. His eyes were fierce and
stared at me, and he had a sharp mouth.
"All at once he stretched his long neck,
and
opened his mouth so wide, and roared so loud,
that I thought he was going to eat me up, and
I ran home as fast as I could. I was sorry
that I met him, for I had just seen a lovely
animal, greater even than he, and would have
made friends with her. She had soft fur like
ours, only it was gray and white. Her eyes
were mild and sleepy, and she looked at me
very gently, and waved her long tail from side
to side. I thought she wished to speak to me,
and I would have gone near her, but that
dreadful thing began to roar, and I ran
away."
"My dear child," said the mother, "you did
well to run away. The fierce thing you speak
of would have done you no harm. It was a
harmless Cock. But that soft, pretty thing
was the Cat, and she would have eaten you
up in a minute, for she is the worst enemy
you have in whole world."
|
