208 Nursery Tales
flue that connected the oven with the chimney, or in at some crevice.
Once there was an old cat in the oven spinin’ and spinin’.
Bimeby there came along a little mouse, and the old cat bit its tail off.
Then the little mouse said, “Pray, cat, give me my great long tail again.”
And the old cat said, “Well, go to the cow and get me some milk.”
So first he hopped and then he jumped, and quickly he came to a good old cow again.
Then the mouse said, “Pray, cow, give me milk, I give cat milk, cat give me my great long tail again.”
And the old cow said, “Well, go to the barn and get me some hay.”
So first he hopped and then he jumped, and quickly he came to a good old barn again.
Then the mouse said, “Pray, barn, give me hay, cow give me milk, cat give me my great long tail again.”
And the barn said, “Well, go to the smith and get me the key.”
So first he hopped and then he jumped, and quickly he came to a good old smith again.
Then the mouse said, “Pray, smith,
