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hundred and ninety…eight cakes； and then he
looked round and said：
〃I'm hungry； haven't you anything to eat？〃
〃Why；〃 said the parrot； 〃here are my two
cakes； if you want them？〃
The cat ate up the two cakes； and then he
licked his chops and said； 〃I am beginning
to get an appetite； have you anything to
eat？〃
〃Well； really；〃 said the parrot； who was now
rather angry； 〃I don't see anything more； unless
you wish to eat me！〃 He thought the cat
would be ashamed when he heard thatbut
the cat just looked at him and licked his
chops again；and slip！ slop！ gobble！ down
his throat went the parrot！
Then the cat started down the street。 An
old woman was standing by； and she had seen
the whole thing； and she was shocked that the
cat should eat his friend。 〃Why； cat！〃 she
said； 〃how dreadful of you to eat your friend
the parrot！〃
〃Parrot； indeed！〃 said the cat。 〃What's a
parrot to me？I've a great mind to eat you；
too。〃 Andbefore you could say 〃Jack
Robinson〃slip！ slop！ gobble！ down went
the old woman！
Then the cat started down the road again；
walking like this； because he felt so fine。
Pretty soon he met a man driving a donkey。
The man was beating the donkey； to hurry him
up； and when he saw the cat he said； 〃Get out
of my way； cat； I'm in a hurry and my donkey
might tread on you。〃
〃Donkey； indeed！〃 said the cat； 〃much I
care for a donkey！ I have eaten five hundred
cakes； I've eaten my friend the parrot； I've
eaten an old woman；what's to hinder my
eating a miserable man and a donkey？〃
And slip！ slop！ gobble！ down went the old
man and the donkey。
Then the cat walked on down the road；
jauntily； like this。 After a little； he met a
procession； coming that way。 The king was
at the head； walking proudly with his newly
married bride； and behind him were his soldiers；
marching； and behind them were ever and ever
so many elephants； walking two by two。 The
king felt very kind to everybody； because he
had just been married； and he said to the cat；
〃Get out of my way； pussy； get out of my way；
my elephants might hurt you。〃
〃Hurt me！〃 said the cat； shaking his fat
sides。 〃Ho； ho！ I've eaten five hundred cakes；
I've eaten my friend the parrot； I've eaten an
old woman； I've eaten a man and a donkey；
what's to hinder my eating a beggarly king？〃
And slip！ slop！ gobble！ down went the
king； down went the queen； down went the
soldiers；and down went all the elephants！
Then the cat went on； more slowly； he had
really had enough to eat； now。 But a little
farther on he met two land…crabs； scuttling
along in the dust。 〃Get out of our way；
pussy；〃 they squeaked。
〃Ho； ho ho！〃 cried the cat in a terrible
voice。 〃I've eaten five hundred cakes； I've
eaten my friend the parrot； I've eaten an old
woman； a man with a donkey； a king； a queen；
his men…at…arms； and all his elephants； and
now I'll eat you too。〃
And slip！ slop！ gobble！ down went the two
land…crabs。
When the land…crabs got down inside； they
began to look around。 It was very dark； but
they could see the poor king sitting in a corner
with his bride on his arm； she had fainted。
Near them were the men…at…arms； treading on
one another's toes； and the elephants； still
trying to form in twos；but they couldn't；
because there was not room。 In the opposite
corner sat the old woman； and near her stood
the man and his donkey。 But in the other
corner was a great pile of cakes； and by them
perched the parrot； his feathers all drooping。
Let's get to work！〃 said the land…crabs。
And； snip； snap； they began to make a little
hole in the side； with their sharp claws。 Snip；
snap； snip； snap；till it was big enough to get
through。 Then out they scuttled。
Then out walked the king； carrying his bride；
out marched the men…at…arms； out tramped the
elephants； two by two； out came the old man；
beating his donkey； out walked the old woman；
scolding the cat； and last of all； out hopped the
parrot； holding a cake in each claw。 （you
remember； two cakes were all he wanted？）
But the poor cat had to spend the whole day
sewing up the hole in his coat！
THE RAT PRINCESS＇1＇
＇1＇ Adapted from Frank Rinder's Old World Japan。 In
telling this story the voice should be changed for the Sun
Cloud； Wind； and Wall； as is always done in the old story of
The Three Bears。
Once upon a time； there was a Rat Princess；
who lived with her father； the Rat King； and
her mother； the Rat Queen； in a ricefield in
far away Japan。 The Rat Princess was so
pretty that her father and mother were quite
foolishly proud of her； and thought no one good
enough to play with her。 When she grew up；
they would not let any of the rat princes come
to visit her； and they decided at last that no
one should marry her till they had found the
most powerful person in the whole world； no
one else was good enough。 And the Father Rat
started out to find the most powerful person
in the whole world。 The wisest and oldest rat
in the ricefield said that the Sun must be the
most powerful person； because he made the rice
grow and ripen； so the Rat King went to find
the Sun。 He climbed up the highest mountain；
ran up the path of a rainbow； and travelled
and travelled across the sky till he came to
the Sun's house。
〃What do you want； little brother？〃 the Sun
said； when he saw him。
〃I come；〃 said the Rat King； very importantly；
〃to offer you the hand of my daughter； the
princess； because you are the most powerful
person in the world； no one else is good
enough。〃
〃Ha； ha！〃 laughed the jolly round Sun； and
winked with his eye。 〃You are very kind；
little brother； but if that is the case the princess
is not for me； the Cloud is more powerful than
I am； when he passes over me I cannot shine。〃
〃Oh； indeed；〃 said the Rat King； 〃then
you are not my man at all〃； and he left the
Sun without more words。 The Sun laughed
and winked to himself。 And the Rat King
travelled and travelled across the sky till he
came to the Cloud's house。
〃What do you want； little brother？〃 sighed
the Cloud when he saw him。
〃I come to offer you the hand of my
daughter； the princess；〃 said the Rat King；
〃because you are the most powerful person in
the world； the Sun said so； and no one else
is good enough。〃
The Cloud sighed again。 〃I am not the
most powerful person；〃 he said； 〃the Wind
is stronger than I；when he blows； I have to
go wherever he sends me。〃
〃Then you are not the person for my
daughter；〃 said the Rat King proudly； and
he started at once to find the Wind。 He
travelled and travelled across the sky； till he
came at last to the Wind's house； at the very
edge of the world。
When the Wind saw him coming he laughed
a big； gusty laugh； 〃Ho； ho！〃 and asked him
what he wanted； and when the Rat King told
him that he had come to offer him the Rat
Princess's hand because he was the most powerful
person in the world； the Wind shouted a
great gusty shout； and said； 〃No； no； I am
not the strongest； the Wall that man has
made is stronger than I； I cannot make him
move； with all my blowing； go to the Wall；
little brother！〃
And the Rat King climbed down the sky…
path again； and travelled and travelled across
the earth till he came to the Wall。 It was
quite near his own ricefield。
〃What do you want； little brother？〃
grumbled the Wall when he saw him。
〃I come to offer you the hand of the
princess； my daughter； because you are the most
powerful person in the world； and no one else
is good enough。〃
〃Ugh； ugh；〃 grumbled the Wall； 〃I am not
the strongest； the big grey Rat who lives in
the cellar is stronger than I。 When he gnaws
and gnaws at me I crumble and crumble； and
at last I fall； go to the Rat； little brother。〃
And so； after