The Cat and the Mouse in Partnership is a classic fairy tale from the Household Stories by the Brothers Grimm. The story follows a cat and a mouse who decide to live together and prepare for the coming winter by saving a little pot of fat.
At first, the two animals appear to be good partners. However, the cat secretly eats their winter supply while inventing excuses to leave the house. Each time he returns, he gives the mouse a strange name for the imaginary godchild he supposedly visited.
This humorous but dark fairy tale teaches children about trust, honesty, greed, and the importance of choosing friends and partners carefully. The story also shows how small lies can grow into much bigger problems.
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Original Story
Excerpt from: Household Stories by the Brothers Grimm, by Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm, illustrated by Walter Crane, translated by Lucy Crane, Macmillan and Company, 1886.
A cat having made acquaintance with a mouse, professed such great love and friendship for her, that the mouse at last agreed that they should live and keep house together.
“We must make provision for the winter,” said the cat, “or we shall suffer hunger, and you, little mouse, must not stir out, or you will be caught in a trap.”
So they took counsel together and bought a little pot of fat. And then they could not tell where to put it for safety, but after long consideration the cat said there could not be a better place than the church, for nobody would steal there; and they would put it under the altar and not touch it until they were really in want.
So this was done, and the little pot placed in safety.
But before long the cat was seized with a great wish to taste it.
“Listen to me, little mouse,” said he;
“I have been asked by my cousin to stand god-father to a little son she has brought into the world; he is white with brown spots; and they want to have the christening to-day, so let me go to it, and you stay at home and keep house.”
“Oh yes, certainly,” answered the mouse,
“pray go by all means; and when you are feasting on all the good things, think of me; I should so like a drop of the sweet red wine.”
But there was not a word of truth in all this; the cat had no cousin, and had not been asked to stand god-father.
He went to the church, straight up to the little pot, and licked the fat off the top. Then he took a walk over the roofs of the town, saw his acquaintances, stretched himself in the sun, and licked his whiskers as often as he thought of the little pot of fat; and then when it was evening he went home.
“Here you are at last,” said the mouse; “I expect you have had a merry time.”
“Oh, pretty well,” answered the cat.
“And what name did you give the child?” asked the mouse.
“Top-off,” answered the cat, drily.
“Top-off!” cried the mouse, “that is a singular and wonderful name! is it common in your family?”
“What does it matter?” said the cat; “it’s not any worse than Crumb-picker, like your god-child.”
A little time after this the cat was again seized with a longing.
“Again I must ask you,” said he to the mouse,
“to do me a favour, and keep house alone for a day. I have been asked a second time to stand god-father; and as the little one has a white ring round its neck, I cannot well refuse.”
So the kind little mouse consented, and the cat crept along by the town wall until he reached the church, and going straight to the little pot of fat, devoured half of it.
“Nothing tastes so well as what one keeps to oneself,” said he, feeling quite content with his day’s work.
When he reached home, the mouse asked what name had been given to the child.
“Half-gone,” answered the cat.
“Half-gone!” cried the mouse, “I never heard such a name in my life! I’ll bet it’s not to be found in the calendar.”
Soon after that the cat’s mouth began to water again for the fat.
“Good things always come in threes,” said he to the mouse; “again I have been asked to stand god-father, the little one is quite black with white feet, and not any white hair on its body; such a thing does not happen every day, so you will let me go, won’t you?”
“Top-off, Half-gone,” murmured the mouse, “they are such curious names, I cannot but wonder at them!”
“That’s because you are always sitting at home,” said the cat, “in your little grey frock and hairy tail, never seeing the world, and fancying all sorts of things.”
So the little mouse cleaned up the house and set it all in order.
Meanwhile the greedy cat went and made an end of the little pot of fat.
“Now all is finished one’s mind will be easy,” said he, and came home in the evening, quite sleek and comfortable.
The mouse asked at once what name had been given to the third child.
“It won’t please you any better than the others,” answered the cat. “It is called All-gone.”
“All-gone!” cried the mouse. “What an unheard-of-name! I never met with anything like it! All-gone! whatever can it mean?”
And shaking her head, she curled herself round and went to sleep.
After that the cat was not again asked to stand god-father.
When the winter had come and there was nothing more to be had out of doors, the mouse began to think of their store.
“Come, cat,” said she, “we will fetch our pot of fat, how good it will taste, to be sure!”
“Of course it will,” said the cat, “just as good as if you stuck your tongue out of window!”
So they set out, and when they reached the place, they found the pot, but it was standing empty.
“Oh, now I know what it all meant,” cried the mouse, “now I see what sort of a partner you have been! Instead of standing god-father you have devoured it all up; first Top-off, then Half-gone, then”—
“Will you hold your tongue!” screamed the cat, “another word, and I devour you too!”
And the poor little mouse, having “All-gone” on her tongue, out it came, and the cat leaped upon her and made an end of her.
And that is the way of the world.
What Children Can Learn From This Story
- Trust should be earned. The mouse trusts the cat because he claims to be her friend, but his actions show that he does not deserve her trust.
- Greed can destroy partnerships. The cat is not satisfied with a small taste of the stored food and eventually eats everything.
- Small lies can become bigger lies. The cat invents one false story after another to hide what he is doing.
- Pay attention to unusual behavior. The mouse notices that the names “Top-off,” “Half-gone,” and “All-gone” are strange, but she does not understand their meaning until it is too late.
- A good partnership requires honesty. Living and working together means sharing responsibilities and respecting what belongs to both partners.
Vocabulary
- Acquaintance — Someone you know, although you may not know them very well.
- Partnership — An arrangement in which two or more people or animals work or live together and share responsibilities.
- Provision — A supply of something that is saved for future use.
- Counsel — Advice or careful discussion before making a decision.
- Christening — A Christian ceremony in which a child is given a name and welcomed into the church.
- God-father — A man chosen to have a special role in supporting a child, especially in a Christian tradition.
- Devoured — Ate something quickly and eagerly.
- Greedy — Wanting more of something than you need or should have.
- Sleek — Smooth, healthy-looking, and well-fed in appearance.
- Unheard-of — Very unusual or something that has never been known or experienced before.
Questions for Children
- Why did the cat suggest that he and the mouse save food for the winter?
- What happened when the cat first became tempted to eat the pot of fat?
- Why did the cat invent the story about becoming a god-father?
- What did “Top-off” really mean?
- What happened when the cat went to the church for the second time?
- Why did the mouse become suspicious of the names Top-off, Half-gone, and All-gone?
- What happened when winter arrived and the mouse wanted to collect their food?
- Why did the cat threaten the mouse when she discovered the truth?
- Do you think the mouse should have trusted the cat? Why or why not?
- What was the lesson of the story?
Moral / Lesson
A true partnership requires honesty, trust, and respect. Greed and repeated lies can destroy even the strongest-looking friendship.
The cat pretends to be a caring partner, but he secretly takes everything that belongs to both of them. His greed grows each time he returns to the pot, while his lies become increasingly elaborate.
The story reminds children that we should judge people by their actions rather than simply believing their words. It also teaches that trust is valuable and should be given to people who demonstrate that they are honest, responsible, and respectful.
Read more: Household Stories By the Brothers Grimm…
- Clever Grethel: A Funny Grimm Fairy Tale About a Clever Cook
- The Six Soldiers of Fortune: A Clever Grimm Fairy Tale About Six Extraordinary Men
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