THE FOX, THE CAT, AND THE COCKEREL.
A Cossack Tale
Once upon a time there lived a cat and a cockerel. They kept house together, these two. The cockerel did the house work, and the cat went out to look for food.
Every day before she went out the cat would say to the cockerel:
"Now mind whatever happens, you are not to open that door to anybody!"
And everyday the cockerel would reply: "No, Pussy Wussy, I will not open the door."
One day a sly old fox, who had been watching the house for some time, came and tapped on the front door.
"Open the door, little cock,"he called.
"No! No! No! Pussy Wussy has told me not to."
Then the sly old fox tapped again.
"Open the door, little cock."
"No! No! No!"
But the old fox kept on tapping. At last the cock grew tired of answering "No! So he opened the door.
In rushed the fox. He seized the poor cock in his jaws and carried him off over the fields as far as the little stony bridge.
Then the cock cried out in alarm :
"Help! Pussy Wussy,
The sly foxy woxy
Is holding me tight
With all his might.
Across his tail
My legs do trail
Along the bridge so stony."
Every day before she went out the cat would say to the cockerel:
"Now mind whatever happens, you are not to open that door to anybody!"
And everyday the cockerel would reply: "No, Pussy Wussy, I will not open the door."
One day a sly old fox, who had been watching the house for some time, came and tapped on the front door.
"Open the door, little cock,"he called.
"No! No! No! Pussy Wussy has told me not to."
Then the sly old fox tapped again.
"Open the door, little cock."
"No! No! No!"
But the old fox kept on tapping. At last the cock grew tired of answering "No! So he opened the door.
In rushed the fox. He seized the poor cock in his jaws and carried him off over the fields as far as the little stony bridge.
Then the cock cried out in alarm :
"Help! Pussy Wussy,
The sly foxy woxy
Is holding me tight
With all his might.
Across his tail
My legs do trail
Along the bridge so stony."
