“Yes,” answered the cat; “it went off very well!”
“What have you named the kitten?” asked the mouse.
“Top-off!” said the cat very quickly.
“Top-off!” replied the mouse; “that is a curious and remarkable name; is it common in your family?”
“What does that matter?” said the cat; “it is not worse than Crumb-stealer, as your children are called.”
Not long afterward the cat felt the same longing as before, and said to the mouse: “You must oblige me by taking care of the house once more by yourself; I am again asked to stand godfather, and, since the youngster has a white ring round his neck, I cannot get off the invitation.” So the good little mouse consented, and the cat crept away behind the wall to the church again, and ate half the contents of the grease-pot. “Nothing tastes better than what one eats by one’s self,” said he, quite contented with his day’s work; and when he came home the mouse asked how this child was named.
“Half-out,” answered the cat.
“Half-out! What do you mean? I never heard such a name before in my life; I will wager anything it is not in the calendar,” but the cat replied nothing.
Pussy’s mouth soon began to water again at the recollection of the feasting. “All good things come in threes,” said he to the mouse. “I am again required to be godfather; this child is quite black, and has little white claws, but not a single white hair on his body; such a thing only happens once in two years, so pray excuse me this time.”
“Top-off! Half-out!” answered the mouse; “those are such curious names, they make me a bit suspicious.”