Reading Notes: Why the Cats Kill Rats

ANSA, who was a king, had a housekeeper that was a cat and house-boy that was a rat. He was a very strong man but had a love for the cat for many years. The rat was very poor and fell in love with one of the king's servant girls but he couldn't give her any presents because he didn't have any money.

The king owned a store and the rat thought he could sneak into the store at nighttime and steal some pears and corn to give to his sweetheart. He did this by using his small size to crawl into a hole in the roof.

The cat noticed that some pears and corn were missing at the end of the month when he was counting the items in the store. The king became angry and asked the cat for an explanation. The cat didn't know the rat had been stealing the items until one of her friends told her it was the rat that had been taking the items.

The cat told the king and he took the rat's sweetheart and beat her. The king fired both the cat and the rat from the store. The cat ended up eating the rat because he was so angry. Now, that is why cats eat rats whenever they see one.

Why the Cats Kill Rats by Elphinstone Dayrell.

A cat and a mouse. Source: Wikimedia Commons