Belling the Cat

A large family of mice lived in the cellar of a house. There was also a cat in the house. The cat walked so quietly that the mice never heard it coming. Every day one mouse went missing.

At last the mice held a meeting one night. The old mouse took the floor: "This cannot go on. We must find a way to deal with the cat." Everyone had something to say. Some said "let's move away," others said "let's hide."

Then a young mouse stepped forward, eyes shining. "I've got it!" he said. "Let's hang a bell around the cat's neck! When the cat walks, the bell rings, we hear it coming and we hide!"

Applause broke out in the cellar. "A wonderful idea! Brilliant! We're saved!" The mice began to dance with joy. They discussed where to find a bell and what string to tie it with.

Then, from the corner of the cellar, came the calm voice of the old mouse: "A very fine idea, truly. I just have one small question." Everyone fell silent. "Who will hang the bell around the cat's neck?"

Not a sound in the cellar. The young mouse looked at the floor. The others looked at each other. Nobody raised a hand.

The old mouse smiled. "Finding an idea is easy, children. The hard part is finding the courage to carry it out. When you make a plan, don't forget the question 'how'."

That night the mice worked on a more practical plan: they made small holes in the cellar that the cat could not get through. The bell was never hung, but the mice were never caught so easily again.