Belling the Cat

A family of mice lived beneath the floor of a farmhouse. They found grain in the pantry and crumbs under the table. For a long time, they gathered food safely at night.

Then the farmer brought home a cat. Its soft paws made almost no sound. It could appear behind a box or beneath a chair before the mice knew it was near. Soon they were afraid to leave their shelter, and their food supplies grew small.

The oldest mouse called a meeting. “We need a way to know when the cat is approaching.” One mouse suggested a tunnel to the garden. Another proposed moving to the barn. But the garden was far away, and owls lived in the barn.

A young mouse stood up. “Tie a bell around the cat’s neck! When it moves, the bell will ring, and we can hide.”

Everyone cheered. They discussed which bell to use and how peaceful their lives would become. The young mouse felt very proud.

An old gray mouse waited for silence. “It is a clever idea,” she said. “But who will put the bell on the cat?”

No one answered. Every mouse found a reason not to approach the cat. They realized the dangerous part had not been planned at all.

So they looked for practical steps. They kept food closer to their shelter and watched their entrances carefully. Whenever someone suggested a new idea, they asked who would do each task and how it could be done safely.