Belling the Cat book cover

Belling the Cat

"Belling the Cat" is a fable attributed to Aesop, a fabulist from ancient Greece. The story involves a group of mice that hold a meeting to discuss the best way to protect themselves from a cat that is terrorizing them. A young mouse suggests that they could tie a bell around the cat's neck as an alert system. Although the suggestion is initially well-received, an older and wiser mouse questions who would be brave enough to bell the cat. The moral of the story underscores the difference between finding a solution and actually implementing it.

Genre: Children
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The Mice once called a meeting to decide on a plan to free themselves of their enemy, the Cat. At least they wished to find some way of knowing when she was coming, so they might have time to run away. Indeed, something had to be done, for they lived in such constant fear of her claws that they hardly dared stir from their dens by night or day. Many plans were discussed, but none of them was thought good enough. At last a very young Mouse got up and said: "I have a plan that seems very simple, but I know it will be successful. All we have to do is to hang a bell about the Cat's neck. When we hear the bell ringing we will know immediately that our enemy is coming." All the Mice were much surprised that they had not thought of such a plan before. But in the midst of the rejoicing over their good fortune, an old Mouse arose and said: "I will say that the plan of the young Mouse is very good. But let me ask one question: Who will bell the Cat?" It is one thing to say that something should be done, but quite a different matter to do it.
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Aesop

Aesop was an ancient Greek storyteller and fabulist, known for his collection of fables. His fables often featured animals as characters and conveyed moral lessons or wisdom through short narratives. Some of his most famous fables include "The Tortoise and the Hare," "The Boy Who Cried Wolf," and "The Fox and the Grapes." These timeless stories continue to be widely read and adapted to this day. more…

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