Fables, fairytales and parables are still among my favorite stories to read, no matter how old I get. The simplicity of the common sense messages tucked within the pages just make my heart happy. On days when life overwhelms me, I find that a quick flip through one of my old childhood storybooks usually brings two or three minutes of smiles. Occasionally, they haunt me for the remainder of the day. Especially, those Brothers Grimm.

This morning, I came across a tale I’d never read. Cat and Mouse in Partnership. Having been part of a short film about a cat (now making its way in the world of film festivals), the title made me smile. The story, consumed over a cup of coffee, may  never leave me. I’ll share  a portion of it with you now.

The opening of the story begins when:

A cat having made acquaintance with a mouse, professed such great love and friendship for her, that the mouse at last agreed that they should live and keep house together.

“We must make provision for the winter,” said the cat, “or we shall suffer hunger, and you, little mouse, must not stir out, or you will be caught in a trap.”

So, they took counsel together and bought a little pot of honey. And then they could not tell where to put it for safety, but after long consideration the cat said there could not be a better place than the church, for nobody would steal there, and they would put it under the altar and not touch it until they were really in want. So this was done, and the little pot was placed in safety.

But before long the cat was seized with a great wish to taste it.

“Listen to me, little mouse,” said he, “I have been asked by my cousin to stand godfather to a little son she has brought into the world. He is white with brown spots. And they want to have the christening today, so let me go to it, and you stay at home and keep house.”

Now, the story goes on to tell how the cat runs off to the church to eat some of the honey, having lied about being asked to “stand godfather.” He makes up a story to tell the mouse and the mouse hardly questions the validity of it all, until the cat goes off  again with the same fib and omissions of the truth.  When the mouse  gets a bit suspicious at the names of the made-up names of the godchildren (Top-Off, Half-Gone were the first two) the cat sasses back: “...you are always sitting at home, in your little gray frock and hairy tail, never seeing the world, and fancying all sorts of things.”

Then? The cat can’t contain himself from hungering after the honey (which he’s decided to keep all to himself) and he again tells the mouse he’s been called to the church to stand godfather a third time. The wily cat carts his carcass back to where he and his pal originally agreed to store their sweet stuff and treats himself to what’s left. How does it all end? I’ll let the Grimms tell you what happened when the cat returned home to his 50/50 partner:

The mouse asked at once what name had been given to the third child.

“It won’t please you any better than the others,” answered the cat. “It is called All-Gone.”

“All-Gone!” cried the mouse. “What an unheard-of name! I never met with anything like it! All-gone! Whatever can it mean?” And shaking her head, she curled herself round and went to sleep. After that the cat was not again asked to stand godfather.”

When the winter had come and there was nothing more to be had out of doors, the mouse began to think of their store.

“Come, cat,” said she, “we will fetch our pot of honey, how good it will taste, to be sure!”

“Of course it will,” said the cat.

So they set out, and when they reached the place, they found the pot, but it was standing empty.

“Oh, now I know what it all meant,” cried he mouse, “now I see what sort of a partner you have been! Instead of standing godfather you have devoured it all, first Top-Off, then Half-Gone, then –“

“Will you hold your tongue!” screamed the cat. “Another word, and I’ll devour you too!”

And the poor little mouse having “All-Gone” on her tongue, out it came, and the cat leaped upon her and made an end of her. And that is the way of the world.

 

*Sigh* The Brothers Grimm didn’t have hashtags. But, man they wrote the #truth.