

The Mouse and the Boasting Rat.A Mouse lived in a granary which became, after a while, the frequentresort of a Cat. The Mouse was in great fear and did not know what todo. In her strait, she bethought herself of a Rat who lived not faraway, and who had said in her hearing a hundred times that he was notafraid of any cat living. She resolved to visit the bold Rat and askhim to drive the Cat away. She found the Rat in his hole and relatingher story, besought his help. "Pooh!" said the Rat, "You should be boldas I am; go straight about your affairs, and do not mind the Cat. I willsoon follow you, and drive him away." He thought, now, he must dosomething to make good his boast. So he collected all the Rats in theneighborhood, resolved to frighten the Cat by numbers. But when they allcame to the granary, they found that the Cat had already caught thefoolish Mouse, and a single growl from him sent them all scampering totheir holes. Do not rely upon a boaster. From Aesop's Fables |