- The Cat and the Mouse – A Persian Fairy Tale – Part I
- The Cat and the Mouse – A Persian Fairy Tale – Part II
According to the decree of Heaven, there once lived in the Persian city of Kerman a cat like unto a dragon—a longsighted cat who hunted like a lion; a cat with fascinating eyes and long whiskers and sharp teeth. Its body was like a drum, its beautiful fur like ermine skin.
Nobody was happier than this cat, neither the newly-wedded bride nor the hospitable master of the house when he looks around at the smiling faces of his guests.
This cat moved amid friends, boon companions of the saucepan, the cup, and the milk jug of the court, and of the dinner table when the cloth is spread.
Perceiving the wine cellar open, one day, the cat ran gleefully into it to see if he could catch a mouse, and hid himself behind a wine jar. At that moment a mouse ran out of a hole in the wall, quickly climbed the jar, and putting his head into it, drank so long and so deeply that he became drunk, talked very stupidly, and fancied he was as bold as a lion.
“Where is the cat?” shouted he, “that I may off with his head. I would cut off his head as if on the battlefield. A cat in front of me would fare worse than any dog who might happen to cross my path.”
The cat ground his teeth with rage while hearing this. Quicker than the eye could follow, he made a spring, seized the mouse in his claws, and said, “Oh, little mouse, now will you take off my head?”
“I am thy servant,” replied the mouse; “forgive my sin. I was drunk. I am thy slave; a slave whose ear is pierced and on whose shoulder the yoke is.”
“Tell fewer lies,” replied the cat. “Was there ever such a liar? I heard all you said and you shall pay for your sin with your life. I will make your life less than that of a dead dog.”
So the cat killed and ate the mouse; but afterwards, being sorry for what he had done, he ran to the Mosque, passed his hands over his face, poured water on his hands, and anointed himself as he had seen the faithful do at the appointed hours of prayer.
Then he began to recite the beautiful chapter to Allah in the Holy Book of the Persians, and to make his confession in this wise:
“I have repented, and will not again tear the body of a mouse with my teeth. I will give bread to the deserving poor. Forgive my sin, O great Forgiver, for have I not come to Thee bowed down with sorrow?”
He repeated this so many times and with so much feeling that he really thought he meant it and finally wept in grief.
A little mouse happened to be behind the pulpit, and overhearing the cat’s vows, speedily carried the glad but surprising news to the other mice. Breathlessly he related how the cat had become a true Mussulman; how he had seen him in the Mosque weeping and lamenting, and saying:
“Oh, Creator of the world, put away my sin, for I have offended like a big fool.” Then the mouse went on to describe how the cat had a rosary of beads and made pious reflections in the spirit of a true penitent.
The mice began to make merry when they heard this startling news, for they were exceedingly glad. Seven chosen mice, each the headman of the village, arose and gave thanks that the cat should, at last, have entered the fold of the true believers.
All danced and shouted, “Ah! Ah! Hu! Hu!” and drank red wine and white wine until they were very merry. Two rang bells, two played castanets, and two sang. One carried a tray behind his back laden with good things, so that all could help themselves; some smoked water pipes; another acted like a clown; others played various tunes on different instruments of music.
A few days after the feast, the King of the mice said to them, “Oh, friends, all of you bring costly presents worthy of the cat!” Then the mice scattered in search of gifts, but soon returned, each bearing something worthy of presentation, even to a nobleman.
