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The Cat and the Mouse

As Retold by Dr. Mike Lockett, The Normal Storyteller

The Cat and the Mouse

Played in the House.

Then they played in the barn

‘Til the Mouse came to harm.

The Cat bit the Mouse’s tail off.  “Please, Mr. Cat,â€� said the Mouse.  “Give me back my tail.â€�

But, the Cat said, “No!  I will not give back your tail until you go to the cow and get me some milk to drink.â€�

So she jumped and she ran and soon she began, “Please, Miss Cow, give me milk that I can give to the Cat so I can get my tail back.�

But, the Cow said, “No!  I will not give you any milk until you go to the Farmer and get me some hay.â€�

So she jumped and she ran and soon she began, “Please, Mr. Farmer, give me some hay, so I can give it to the Cow.  Then the Cow will give me milk that I can to the Cat so the cat will give me back my tail.â€�

But, the Farmer said, “No!  I will not give you any hay until you go to the butcher and get me some meat.

So she jumped and she ran and soon she began, “Please, Mr. Butcher, give me some meat, so I can give it to the Farmer.  Then the farmer will give me hay that I can give the hay to the Cow.  The Cow will give me milk.  I can give the milk to the Cat, so the cat will give me back my tail.â€�

But, the Butcher said, “No!  I will not give you any meat until you go to the baker and get me some bread.

So she jumped and she ran and soon she began, “Please, Madame Baker, Give me some bread so I can give it to the Butcher.  Then he will give me some meat that I can give to the Farmer.  The farmer will give me hay, so I can give it to the Cow.  The Cow will give me milk.  I can give the milk to the Cat, so the cat will give me back my tail.â€�

And the Baker said, “Yes!â€�  I will give you some bread if you will promise never to come into my Bakery and eat my baked goods and scare my customers away.

The mouse promised she would not bother the baker and her customers.  The Baker gave her bread.  Then, she jumped and she ran and soon she began to take the bread to the Butcher.  The Butcher gave her meat.  She took the meat to the Farmer.  The Farmer gave her hay.  She took the hay to the Cow.  The Cow gave her milk.  she took the Milk to the Cat who gave her back her tail.

Then the Cat and the Mouse

Played in the House.

Then they played in the barn

And NEITHER came to harm.

Note: This story was based on a Mother-Goose Poem.  When re-telling it with young children or new English learners, tell the story slowly and encourage the listeners to tell the story with you.  The teller can pantomime the actions to give visual cues to help learners understand the story.

Teachers can encourage students to add additional problems during the sequence of the story.  Example:  But the Baker said, "No! Not unless you go to the wodcutter to get me wood for my fire."