In olden times, as my great-grandmother told me, dogs enjoyed great freedom, and among other privileges they had a right to all the meat that fell from the table. To guard this right for all time they drew up a manifesto, and copied it upon parchment. In this manifesto this right was expressly made known. For a long time the King of the Dogs had charge of this document, but finally he confided it to the care of his private secretary, the Tomcat. And the Tomcat carried the proclamation up into the garret and hid it behind a beam where no one could possibly find it.
Now it happened that behind the beam dwelt a young Mouse, and on one of his walks he stumbled upon the roll. He tried to drag it from its hiding-place, but the stiff parchment stuck fast, and he could not pull it out. But it was quite within reach of his little teeth, and the Mouse was highly delighted with his lucky find, for now he had something to nibble upon. Day by day he paid a visit to the parchment and whetted his teeth upon it.
Now it presently happened that one day a Dog picked up a piece of meat and was caught and his paw well rubbed with hot ashes. Weeping, he appeared before the King and told him the whole story.
Then the King immediately summoned his private secretary, the Tomcat, and commanded him to show the proclamation. The Tomcat hastened to bring the parchment without delay; but, to his misfortune, what did he find? Only a few fragments!
It was at once clear to him that this was the deed of some little Mouse. He told the story to all the other Cats, who, to express their grief and sorrow, began to mew most piteously. When they had sufficiently expressed their feelings they declared war against all Mice.
After this the Tomcat made his report to the King of the Dogs, and the King immediately summoned the Dog-zemstvo. The Dogs came together from all parts—sheep-dogs, wolf-dogs, boar-hounds, house-dogs; and to them all the King gave command that from thenceforth and forever they should treat the Cat as the common enemy. Thus all cats would be made to rue that Tomcat’s carelessness.
And that is the end of the story.