SOME little Mice, who lived in the
walls
of a house, met together one night,
to talk
of the wicked Cat, and to consider what could
be done to get rid of her. The head Mice were
Brown-back, Grey-ear, and White-whisker.
"There is no comfort
in the house," said
Brown-back; "if I but step in the pantry
to
pick up a few crumbs, down she comes,
and
I have hardly time to run to my nest again."
"What can we do?" asked Grey-ear,
"shall
we all run at her at once and bite
her, and
frighten her away?"
"No," said White-whisker; "she is
so hold
we could not frighten her. I have thought
of
something better than that. Let us
hang a
bell round her neck. Then, if she moves, the
bell will ring, and we shall hear it, and have
time to run away."
"O yes! yes!" cried
all the Mice. "That
is a capital idea. We
will bell the Cat!
and they danced in glee.
When their glee had
subsided a little,
Brown-back asked, "But who will
hang the
bell round her neck?"
No one answered. "Will
you?" he asked of
White-whisker.
"I don't think I
can," replied White-
whisker; "I am lame, you
know. It needs
some one who can move quickly."
"Will you, Gray-ear?" said
Brown-back.
"Excuse me," answered Grey-ear; "I have
not been well since that time when I was
almost caught in the trap."
"Who will bell the Cat, then?" said
Brown-
back. "If it is to be done, some one must
do it."
Not a sound was heard,
and one by one
the little Mice stole away to their holes, no
better off than they were before.
When there is trouble,
there is need of
some one to act as well as some to advise.
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