Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 8.djvu/202

190 I accept the covenant of one between whom and me there is a rooted enmity,” rejoined the mouse, “and whose wont it is to deal treacherously by me? Were the feud between us aught but one of blood, this were easy to me; but it is an enmity of kind between souls, and it is said, ‘He who trusts himself to his enemy is as one who puts his hand into a viper’s mouth.’” Quoth the cat, full of wrath, “My breast is straitened and my soul faints within me: indeed I am in extremity and ere long I shall die at thy door and my blood will be on thy head, for that thou hadst it in thy power to save me: and this is my last word to thee.”

With this the fear of God the Most High overcame the mouse and pity took hold upon his heart and he said in himself, “Whoso would have the succour of God the Most High against his enemy, let him entreat him with compassion and kindness. I commit myself to God in this matter and will deliver this cat from this her strait and earn the reward [of God] for her.” So he went forth and dragged the cat into his nest, where she abode till she was rested and somewhat restored, when she began to bewail her weakness and loss of strength and lack of friends. The mouse entreated her friendly and comforted her and busied himself with her service; but she crept along till she got command of the issue of the nest, lest the mouse should escape. So, when the latter would have gone out, after his wont, he drew near the cat; whereupon she seized him and taking him in her claws, began to bite him and shake him and take him in her mouth and lift him up and throw him down and run after him and crunch him and torture him.

The mouse cried out for help, beseeching God of deliverance, and began to upbraid the cat, saying, “Where is the covenant thou madest with me and where are the oaths thou sworest to me? Is this my reward from thee?