Page:Tales from the Fjeld.djvu/378

356 talk and pranks. Just then the goody came down to draw a mug of ale, and, as she lifted the trap-door, the cat stole into the cellar and fixed her claws into the fell-mouse. Then there was another dance. The town-mouse crept into her hole, and sat safe looking on; but the fell-mouse got sober all at once, as soon as she felt the cat's claws.

"Oh, my dear master, my dear master! be merciful and spare my life, and I'll tell you a story." That was what she said.

"Out with it, then," said the cat.

"Once on a time there were two small mice," said the fell-mouse; and she squeaked so pitifully and slowly, for she wanted to drag the story out as long as she could.

"Then they were not alone," said the cat, both sharply and drily.

"And so we had a steak we were going to cook."

"Then you were not starved," said the cat.

"So we put it up on the roof that it might cool itself well," said the fell-mouse.

"Then you didn't burn your tongues," said the cat.

"So then the fox and the crow came and gobbled it up," said the fell-mouse.

"And so I'll gobble you up," said the cat.

But just then the goody slammed to the trap-door again, so that the cat got afraid and loosed her hold, and pop! the fell-mouse was away in the town-mouse's hole, and from it there was a way out into the snow, and the fell-mouse was not slow in setting off home.