The Mice Decided That Their Foe

The mice decided that their foe
The cat was bad and had to go.
Unanimous in their intent
To censor him all gave consent.

But whatsoever they might say
They knew the cat was there to stay,
So as things might go otherwise
Safeguards they thought of to devise.

One rose among the mice to speak,
"To warn us if the cat will sneak
Around his neck a bell should hang
So we could flee soon as it rang."

Votes for the measure then were cast
But one opposed, said, when it passed,
"All's well once we have settled that--
You tell me--who will bell the cat?"

One Winter Day a Farmer Found

One winter day a farmer found
A frozen viper on the ground,
So altruistically inclined,
The farmer, thinking it was kind
To save a viper's life that day
The snake against his bosom lay.

The snake its senses came back to
And did what any snake would do,
For being true to character
She bit the man for saving her
And paid his goodness back with ill;
For kindness makes a viper kill.