"Oh no," answered the cat; "he has only one."
"Then I won't have him," said Mrs. Fox.
So the cat went down-stairs, and sent the suitor away. Soon there was another knock at the door. It was another fox come to woo. He had two tails, but he met with no better success than the first. Then there arrived more foxes, one after another, each with one more tail than the last, but they were all dismissed, until there came one with nine tails like old Mr. Fox. When the widow heard that she cried, full of joy, to the cat,
"Now, open door and window wide,
And turn old Mr. Fox outside."
But before they could do so, up jumped old Mr. Fox from under the bench, and cudgelled the whole pack, driving them, with Mrs. Fox, out of the house.
SECOND VERSION.
When old Mr. Fox died there came a wolf to woo, and he knocked at the door, and the cat opened to him; and he made her a bow, and said,
"Good day, Miss Cat, so brisk and gay,
How is it that alone you stay?
And what is it you cook to-day?"
The cat answered,