A certain cat had made the acquaintance of a mouse, and had said so much to her about the great love and friendship she felt for her, that at length the mouse agreed that they should live and keep house together. ‘But we must make a provision for winter, or else we shall suffer from hunger,’ said the cat; ‘and you, little mouse, cannot venture everywhere, or you will be caught in a trap some day.’ The good advice was followed, and a pot of fat was bought, but they did not know where to put it. At length, after much consideration, the cat said: ‘I know no place where it will be better stored up than in the church, for no one dares take anything away from there. We will set it beneath the altar, and not touch it until we are really in need of it.’ So the pot was placed in safety, but it was not long before the cat had a great yearning for it, and said to the mouse: ‘I want to tell you something, little mouse; my cousin has brought a little son into the world, and has asked me to be godmother; he is white with brown spots, and I am to hold him over the font at the christening. Let me go out today, and you look after the house by yourself.’ ‘Yes, yes,’ answered the mouse, ‘by all means go, and if you get anything very good to eat, think of me. I should like a drop of sweet red christening wine myself.’ All this, however, was untrue; the cat had no cousin, and had not been asked to be godmother. She went straight to the church, stole to the pot of fat, began to lick at it, and licked the top of the fat off. Then she took a walk upon the roofs of the town, looked out for opportunities, and then stretched herself in the sun, and licked her lips whenever she thought of the pot of fat, and not until it was evening did she return home. ‘Well, here you are again,’ said the mouse, ‘no doubt you have had a merry day.’ ‘All went off well,’ answered the cat. ‘What name did they give the child?’ ‘Top off!’ said the cat quite coolly. ‘Top off!’ cried the mouse, ‘that is a very odd and uncommon name, is it a usual one in your family?’ ‘What does that matter,’ said the cat, ‘it is no worse than Crumb-stealer, as your godchildren are called.’
有一只猫和一只老鼠成了朋友，它向老鼠大谈特谈自己对她的深厚情谊，最终老鼠同意与它同住并共同操持家务。'但我们要为冬天储备些食物，否则我们会挨饿的，'猫说，'你小老鼠不能到处乱跑，不然哪天会被捕鼠夹夹住的。'这个好建议被采纳了，他们买回了一罐猪油，却不知该放在哪里。经过一番深思熟虑，猫说：'我知道没有比教堂更合适的地方了，因为没人敢从那里拿走东西。我们把罐子藏在祭坛下面，不到万不得已绝不动它。'于是罐子被安顿好了，但没过多久，猫便对那罐猪油馋涎欲滴，它对老鼠说：'我有件事要告诉你，小老鼠；我的表亲生了一个孩子，请我当教母；那孩子身上白色带棕色斑点，我要在洗礼时抱它过圣水。让我今天出去一趟，你在家照看吧。''好的，好的，'老鼠回答，'尽管去吧，要是吃到什么好东西，记得给我留点。我自己也想尝尝甜红的洗礼酒呢。'然而这一切都是谎言；猫根本没有表亲，也没被邀请当教母。它径直去了教堂，溜到那罐猪油旁，开始舔食，把顶上的油脂全舔光了。然后它在屋顶上散步，寻找机会，接着在阳光下伸展身体，每当想到那罐猪油就舔舔嘴唇，直到傍晚才回家。'你回来了，'老鼠说，'想必今天过得很愉快吧。''一切顺利，'猫回答。'他们给孩子取了什么名字？''叫'顶盖'！'猫十分镇定地说。''顶盖！'老鼠惊呼，'这名字真奇怪又罕见，你们家都这么起名吗？''那有什么关系，'猫说，'这并不比'偷面包屑的'更糟，你的教子们不就叫这个名字吗？'
Before long the cat was seized by another fit of yearning. She said to the mouse: ‘You must do me a favour, and once more manage the house for a day alone. I am again asked to be godmother, and, as the child has a white ring round its neck, I cannot refuse.’ The good mouse consented, but the cat crept behind the town walls to the church, and devoured half the pot of fat. ‘Nothing ever seems so good as what one keeps to oneself,’ said she, and was quite satisfied with her day’s work. When she went home the mouse inquired: ‘And what was the child christened?’ ‘Half-done,’ answered the cat. ‘Half-done! What are you saying? I never heard the name in my life, I’ll wager anything it is not in the calendar!’
没过多久，猫又馋劲发作。它对老鼠说：'你得帮我个忙，再独自看管一天家吧。我又被邀请当教母了，而且那孩子脖子上有一圈白毛，我不能拒绝。'善良的老鼠答应了，但猫却溜到城墙外去了教堂，把罐子里的猪油吃了一半。'没有什么比自己私藏的东西更美味了，'它心想，对自己这一天的收获十分满意。回家后，老鼠问道：'那孩子取了什么名字？''叫'半截'，'猫回答。''半截！你在说什么？我从来没听过这个名字，我敢打赌日历上也没有！'
The cat’s mouth soon began to water for some more licking. ‘All good things go in threes,’ said she, ‘I am asked to stand godmother again. The child is quite black, only it has white paws, but with that exception, it has not a single white hair on its whole body; this only happens once every few years, you will let me go, won’t you?’ ‘Top-off! Half-done!’ answered the mouse, ‘they are such odd names, they make me very thoughtful.’ ‘You sit at home,’ said the cat, ‘in your dark-grey fur coat and long tail, and are filled with fancies, that’s because you do not go out in the daytime.’ During the cat’s absence the mouse cleaned the house, and put it in order, but the greedy cat entirely emptied the pot of fat. ‘When everything is eaten up one has some peace,’ said she to herself, and well filled and fat she did not return home till night. The mouse at once asked what name had been given to the third child. ‘It will not please you more than the others,’ said the cat. ‘He is called All-gone.’ ‘All-gone,’ cried the mouse ‘that is the most suspicious name of all! I have never seen it in print. All-gone; what can that mean?’ and she shook her head, curled herself up, and lay down to sleep.
猫的嘴很快又馋得想再舔些猪油。'好事不过三，'它说，'我又被邀请当教母了。那孩子全身漆黑，只有爪子是白的，除此之外身上没有一根白毛；这种事几年才发生一次，你会让我去的，对吧？''顶盖！半截！'老鼠回答，'这些名字太奇怪了，让我很不安。''你整天待在家里，穿着深灰色的皮毛大衣，拖着长尾巴，胡思乱想，那是因为你白天不出去。'猫说。在猫外出期间，老鼠打扫了屋子并整理妥当，但那贪婪的猫却把罐里的猪油吃得一干二净。'东西吃光了就清净了，'它自言自语道，吃饱喝足后直到天黑才回家。老鼠立刻问第三个孩子取了什么名字。'这名字不会比前两个更让你喜欢，'猫说。'它叫'全光'。''全光！'老鼠惊呼，'这是最可疑的名字了！我从没在印刷品上见过。全光；那是什么意思？'它摇摇头，蜷缩起来，躺下睡觉了。
From this time forth no one invited the cat to be godmother, but when the winter had come and there was no longer anything to be found outside, the mouse thought of their provision, and said: ‘Come, cat, we will go to our pot of fat which we have stored up for ourselves--we shall enjoy that.’ ‘Yes,’ answered the cat, ‘you will enjoy it as much as you would enjoy sticking that dainty tongue of yours out of the window.’ They set out on their way, but when they arrived, the pot of fat certainly was still in its place, but it was empty. ‘Alas!’ said the mouse, ‘now I see what has happened, now it comes to light! You are a true friend! You have devoured all when you were standing godmother. First top off, then half-done, then--’ ‘Will you hold your tongue,’ cried the cat, ‘one word more, and I will eat you too.’ ‘All-gone’ was already on the poor mouse’s lips; scarcely had she spoken it before the cat sprang on her, seized her, and swallowed her down. Verily, that is the way of the world.
从此以后，再没人请猫当教母了。但冬天来临后，外面再也找不到食物，老鼠想起了他们储备的猪油，便说：'来吧，猫，我们去吃我们存下的那罐猪油吧——我们会很享受的。''是的，'猫回答，'你会像把舌头伸出窗外那样享受它。'它们动身前往，但到了那里，猪油罐确实在原处，却已空空如也。'唉！'老鼠说，'现在我明白发生了什么了，真相大白了！你真是个好朋友！当你当教母时就把我们存的东西全吃光了。先是顶盖，接着是半截，然后——''住口！'猫喊道，'再敢多说一个字，我就连你也吃掉。''全光'这个词已经到了可怜老鼠的嘴边；它刚一说出口，猫便扑向它，抓住它，一口吞了下去。这确实是世间的常理。