"'Good day, pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?' said the leaf-picker.
"'Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting,' said the cat; 'it was only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman and the goody, and Daisy the cow—and, now I think of it, I'll take you too.' So she took the leaf-picker and gobbled him up.
"Then she came to a heap of stones, and there stood a stoat and peeped out.
"'Good day, Mr. Stoat of Stoneheap,' said the cat.
"'Good day, Mrs. Pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?'
"'Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting,' said the cat; 'it was only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker—and, now I think of it, I'll take you too.' So she took the stoat and gobbled him up.
"When she had gone a bit farther, she came to a hazel-brake, and there sat a squirrel gathering nuts.
"'Good day, Sir Squirrel of the Brake,' said the cat.
"'Good day, Mrs. Pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?'
"'Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting,' said the cat; 'it was only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat—and, now I think of it, I'll take you too.' So she took the squirrel and gobbled him up.