THE PIE AND THE PATTY-PAN

Pussy-cat sits by the fire—how should she be fair?

In walks the little dog—says "Pussy are you there?

How do you do Mistress Pussy? Mistress Pussy, how

do you do?"

"I thank you kindly, little dog, I fare as well as you!"

[Old Rhyme]

Once upon a time there was a

Pussy-cat called Ribby, who invited a

little dog called Duchess to tea.

"Come in good time, my dear

Duchess," said Ribby's letter, "and we

will have something so very nice. I am

baking it in a pie-dish—a pie-dish

with a pink rim. You never tasted

anything so good! And YOU shall eat it

all! I will eat muffins, my dear

Duchess!" wrote Ribby.

"I will come very punctually, my

dear Ribby," wrote Duchess; and then

at the end she added—"I hope it isn't

mouse?"

And then she thought that did not

look quite polite; so she scratched out

"isn't mouse" and changed it to "I

hope it will be fine," and she gave her

letter to the postman.

But she thought a great deal about

Ribby's pie, and she read Ribby's letter

over and over again.