How he did love nice, fat, happy rats! At last he had found them, a whole big family of them!
This hungry, greedy cat now had rat for breakfast, rat for dinner, and rat for supper. And sometimes he had rat between meals.
Very soon this cat began to grow fat and happy.
But happy cats make unhappy rats. While this cat grew fat, these rats grew thin.
Yet in the stalls there was just as much grain as ever. But it was only a very hungry rat that dared go for it. For no rat could tell when the cat might pounce upon him.
That sly cat stole about without a sound.
The most watchful rat could hear nothing, could see no living thing.
Then, pounce! The wicked cat’s claws held him fast.
So, many a poor rat went to the stall, and never came back. And the rat family was growing smaller day by day.