The cat and the fish

READ AND ANSWER

 

Once upon a time the cat bit the mouse’s tail off. “Give me back my tail,” said the mouse. And the cat said, “Well, I would give you back your tail if you fetched me some milk. But that’s impossible to do for a little mouse like you.”

The mouse, however, went to the cow. “The cat will only give me back my tail if I fetch her some milk.”

And the cow said, “Well, I would give you milk if you got me some hay. But that’s impossible to do for a little mouse like you.”

The mouse, however, went to the farmer. “The cat will only give me back my tail if the cow gives me some milk. And the cow will only give me milk if I get her some hay.”

And the farmer said, “Well, I would give you hay if you brought me some meat. But that’s impossible to do for a little mouse like you.”

The mouse, however, went to the butcher. “The cat will only give me back my tail if the cow gives me milk. And the cow will only give me milk if she gets some hay. And the farmer will only give me hay if I get him some meat.”

And the butcher said, “Well, I would give you meat if you made the baker bake me a bread. But that’s impossible to do for a little mouse like you.”

The mouse, however, went to the baker. “The cat will only give me back my tail if I fetch her some milk. And the cow will not give me milk if I don’t get her hay. And the farmer will only give me hay if the butcher has some meat for him. And the butcher will not give me meat if you do not bake him a bread.”

And the baker said, “Well, I will give you bread if you promise never to steal my corn or meal.”

The mouse promised not to steal, and so the baker gave the mouse bread, the mouse gave the butcher bread. The butcher gave the mouse meat, the mouse gave the farmer meat. The farmer gave the mouse hay, the mouse gave the cow hay. The cow gave the mouse milk, the mouse gave the cat milk. And the cat gave the mouse her tail back.

But imagine what would have happened otherwise:

1. If the mouse had not promised never to steal corn or meal, the baker would not have given the mouse bread.
2. If the baker had not given the mouse bread, the butcher would have refused to give her meat for the farmer.
3. If the butcher had refused her any meat, the farmer would not have been willing to give the mouse hay. If the farmer had not been willing to give the mouse hay, the mouse would not have received milk from the cow.
4. If the mouse had not received milk from the cow, she would not have got back her tail