格林童话选 英文版 Grimms' Fairy Tales
格林兄弟 Brüder Grimm
CAT AND MOUSE IN PARTNERSHIP
A certain cat had made the acquaintance of a mouse, and had said somuch to her about the great love and friendship she felt for her, thatat length the mouse agreed that they should live and keep housetogether. 'But we must make a provision for winter, or else we shallsuffer from hunger,' said the cat; 'and you, little mouse, cannotventure everywhere, or you will be caught in a trap some day.' Thegood advice was followed, and a pot of fat was bought, but they didnot know where to put it. At length, after much consideration, the catsaid: 'I know no place where it will be better stored up than in thechurch, for no one dares take anything away from there. We will set itbeneath the altar, and not touch it until we are really in need ofit.' So the pot was placed in safety, but it was not long before thecat had a great yearning for it, and said to the mouse: 'I want totell you something, little mouse; my cousin has brought a little soninto the world, and has asked me to be godmother; he is white withbrown 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.' 'Yes,yes,' answered the mouse, 'by all means go, and if you get anythingvery good to eat, think of me. I should like a drop of sweet redchristening wine myself.' All this, however, was untrue; the cat hadno cousin, and had not been asked to be godmother. She went straightto the church, stole to the pot of fat, began to lick at it, andlicked the top of the fat off. Then she took a walk upon the roofs ofthe town, looked out for opportunities, and then stretched herself inthe sun, and licked her lips whenever she thought of the pot of fat,and not until it was evening did she return home. 'Well, here you areagain,' said the mouse, 'no doubt you have had a merry day.' 'All wentoff well,' answered the cat. 'What name did they give the child?' 'Topoff!' said the cat quite coolly. 'Top off!' cried the mouse, 'that isa very odd and uncommon name, is it a usual one in your family?' 'Whatdoes that matter,' said the cat, 'it is no worse than Crumb-stealer,as your godchildren are called.'
Before long the cat was seized by another fit of yearning. She said tothe mouse: 'You must do me a favour, and once more manage the housefor a day alone. I am again asked to be godmother, and, as the childhas a white ring round its neck, I cannot refuse.' The good mouseconsented, but the cat crept behind the town walls to the church, anddevoured half the pot of fat. 'Nothing ever seems so good as what onekeeps to oneself,' said she, and was quite satisfied with her day'swork. When she went home the mouse inquired: 'And what was the childchristened?' 'Half-done,' answered the cat. 'Half-done! What are yousaying? I never heard the name in my life, I'll wager anything it isnot in the calendar!'
The cat's mouth soon began to water for some more licking. 'All goodthings go in threes,' said she, 'I am asked to stand godmother again.The child is quite black, only it has white paws, but with thatexception, it has not a single white hair on its whole body; this onlyhappens once every few years, you will let me go, won't you?' 'Top-off! Half-done!' answered the mouse, 'they are such odd names, theymake me very thoughtful.' 'You sit at home,' said the cat, 'in yourdark-grey fur coat and long tail, and are filled with fancies, that'sbecause you do not go out in the daytime.' During the cat's absencethe mouse cleaned the house, and put it in order, but the greedy catentirely emptied the pot of fat. 'When everything is eaten up one hassome peace,' said she to herself, and well filled and fat she did notreturn home till night. The mouse at once asked what name had beengiven to the third child. 'It will not please you more than theothers,' said the cat. 'He is called All-gone.' 'All-gone,' cried themouse 'that is the most suspicious name of all! I have never seen itin print. All-gone; what can that mean?' and she shook her head,curled herself up, and lay down to sleep.
From this time forth no one invited the cat to be godmother, but whenthe winter had come and there was no longer anything to be foundoutside, the mouse thought of their provision, and said: 'Come, cat,we will go to our pot of fat which we have stored up for ourselves--weshall enjoy that.' 'Yes,' answered the cat, 'you will enjoy it as muchas you would enjoy sticking that dainty tongue of yours out of thewindow.' They set out on their way, but when they arrived, the pot offat certainly was still in its place, but it was empty. 'Alas!' saidthe mouse, 'now I see what has happened, now it comes to light! You atrue friend! You have devoured all when you were standing godmother.First top off, then half-done, then--' 'Will you hold your tongue,'cried the cat, 'one word more, and I will eat you too.' 'All-gone' wasalready on the poor mouse's lips; scarcely had she spoken it beforethe cat sprang on her, seized her, and swallowed her down. Verily,that is the way of the world.