CAT AND MOUSE CAPERS

Eggs were frying in the pan
The Major was in his chair
Fireside, dozed beside the hearth
curled up without a care.

When suddenly, all hell broke loose
as Panic and Scurry scampered
but Fireside didn’t turn a hair
their escape route wasn’t hampered.

Housekeeper squealed, stood on a chair
but the Major, he gave chase
round and round the kitchen
getting redder in the face.

As T- towel flailed, crockery smashed
and trophies fell off the shelf
the Major sternly cursed the cat
for not deploying stealth.

Fireside dodged an angry boot
as chasing him out the house
‘Not keeping you,’ the Major cried
‘If you won’t catch a mouse.’

All in all, the deed was done
the mice escaped in fear
and later they both told their tale
to those who’d lend an ear.

Fireside skulked off to the barn
thought the Major - most unkind
and hoped, one day, he’d find a way
to change his master’s mind.

The next morning...

‘Twittawoo,’ said Olive owl
perched high upon a beam
and peering down on Fireside
who was looking rather lean.

‘So, what’s up with you ?’ she said
whilst Fireside licked a paw
and Panic and Scurry’s noses
came poking through the straw.



Fireside said he was ravenous
and his life was increasingly dire
for being a stray was not for him
and yearned to be home by the fire.
 
Scurry said, ‘Yeh crazy mog
Yeh don’t have to be a stray.
so I propose we hatch a plan
to try and save the day.

The Major’s kicked yeh out,
'cos yeh don’t like killin’ mice
So we’ll just have to show him,
that you’ve taken his advice.’

Fireside looked at Scurry,
Olive and Panic too
who then put their heads together
to discuss what they could do.  

The morning was spent planning
everyone knew their cue
and soon the cast was ready
having carefully thought it through.

The drama was quite simple:
‘Murder On The Lawn’
but hopefully, without the  blood
or bodies being torn.

Fireside played protagonist - 
a - ‘ruthless rodent ripper’...
and if things went the way they planned
the cat should get his kipper!

“Action!” ordered Fireside
nervous, you could tell
till Olive managed to ram a twig
and ring the Major’s bell.

Fireside, with mice on the lawn
and was full of apprehension
the Major though, was at his door
and paying full attention.

The two mice scuttled round and round
with Fireside giving chase
he picked them up, the deed was done
and two lives went to waste.

Olive then flew as decoy
and as Major looked her way
Panic and Scurry scampered off
but had they saved the day?

The Major became suspicious -
when no bodies could be found
so, Fireside quickly licked his lips
to make the act look sound.

The cat now snug, was not so smug
when beside his bowl he sat
and the Major said, ‘ No fish for you,
until you’ve killed a rat!’