A FASCINATING TALE
Books and ink, and kittens three
In this picture we can see
All upon a table wide.
What is that from them would hide?
Little mouse, your tail's too long;
It's your fault; if they do wrong.
All these books will surely fall,
Ink stains soon will cover all.
Did you think that you were hid?
Or perchance of them were rid?
Don't you know your tail's in sight
Of those kittens' eyes so bright?
You are wise to keep quite still,
For they're watching with a will.
Maybe you can make them think
It's the cord that ties the ink.
Mother Cat looks very wise;
She will know it by its size.
She has taught her kittens, too,
Just exactly what to do.
Which will get you? Have a care,
For to lose you they'll not dare.
Though they're frightened, we can see
With her help it's you must flee.
Ah, you moved it! Such a fuss!
All the things are in a muss!
And they caught you, as I thought;
You're a nuisance, so they ought.
Which one did it? I can't tell.
All I know is, something fell.
But they all look very proud,
And their purr is very loud.
Questions to help the pupil understand the picture. How did the kittens happen to find the mouse? How did they get up on the table? Where did the mouse try to hide? Why was that not a good place? What were the kittens afraid of? Who came to help them? What did she do? How does she look? Which kitten is the more daring? What is between the black kitten and the mouse? What will very likely happen to the books and papers? Which way do you think the white kitten will jump? the mother cat? Which one will catch the mouse?
To the Teacher: Encourage the children to talk about their own pets at home, and to draw pictures of them. The drawings may not be good in themselves, but such practice will make the children more observant, and so prepare the way for better drawing later.
The story of the artist. Madame Ronner, the woman who painted this picture, was very fond of cats, as you can easily imagine. She had a very large cage made for her pets, with wire over the top and glass for the sides. She had the sides made of glass so that she could always watch the cats when she painted, no matter in what part of the cage they happened to be; and of course the top was of wire so they could have plenty of air. The floor of the cage was well cushioned, and there were several hanging bobs for the cats to play with.
Her father was an artist, and he, although blind, was her only teacher in drawing and painting. She would describe her pictures to him, and he would criticize and tell her how to improve them.
When she was only sixteen years old she exhibited her first picture, which she called "Cats in the Window." The picture received a great deal of praise and was sold immediately. Every one supposed she would paint more pictures of cats, because she could paint them so well, but for some reason she began to paint dogs instead. Her dog pictures won much popularity also and for many years she supported herself and her blind father by her paintings of dogs.
After her father's death she married and moved from Amsterdam to Brussels, where she again became interested in painting cats. It was then that she did her best work. One of her best pictures painted at that time was "A Fascinating Tale."
Madame Ronner had so much care and trouble all her life, it is a wonder she could paint such bright, happy pictures. She was very poor much of her life, and had not only the care and support of her blind father but later on of an invalid husband and several little children. Still with it all she must have found time for a frolic with these fluffy little kittens, to have known just how to paint them at their best.
Her little children must have liked to play with them, too.
Questions about the artist. Who painted this picture? Who taught her to draw and paint? How could he, when he was blind? What other animals did Madame Ronner paint besides cats? Which did she paint the better? What makes you think she must have liked cats? Where did she put them when she wanted to paint them? Why did the cage have glass sides? Why did it have wire over the top? the soft cushions on the floor? What did she have for the cats to play with?