Across her tail
My legs do trail
Along the bridge so stony!”
The cat heard it, and again he ran after the fox and rescued the cock, and gave the fox a sound drubbing. Then he said to the cock:
“Now, mind you, never let her come in again, or she’ll eat you.”
But the next time the cat went out, the she-fox came again, and said:
“Dear little cock, open the door!”
“No, little fox! Pussy said I wasn’t to.”
But the fox begged and begged so piteously that at last the cock was quite touched, and opened the door. Then the fox caught him by the throat again, and ran away with him, and the cock cried:
“Help! pussy-pussy!