Section 244

The Parrot and the Cat explained simply

Aesop's Fables by Aesop

Original excerpt

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A Man once bought a Parrot and gave it the run of his house. It revelled in its liberty, and presently flew up on to the mantelpiece and screamed away to its heart's content. The noise disturbed the Cat, who was asleep on the hearthrug. Looking up at the intruder, she said, "W...
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Public-domain original

A Man once bought a Parrot and gave it the run of his house. It revelled in its liberty, and presently flew up on to the mantelpiece and screamed away to its heart's content. The noise disturbed the Cat, who was asleep on the hearthrug. Looking up at the intruder, she said, "Who may you be, and where have you come from?" The Parrot replied, "Your master has just bought me and brought me home with him." "You impudent bird," said the Cat, "how dare you, a newcomer, make a noise like that? Why, I was born here, and have lived here all my life, and yet, if I venture to mew, they throw things at me and chase me all over the place." "Look here, mistress," said the Parrot, "you just hold your tongue. My voice they delight in; but yours--yours is a perfect nuisance."

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What happens here

A Man once bought a Parrot and gave it the run of his house.

Why this scene matters

This fable matters because it turns a common human habit into a short lesson about judgment and consequences.

Characters in this scene

  • The Parrot: A figure in the fable whose choice helps reveal the lesson.
  • The Cat: A figure in the fable whose choice helps reveal the lesson.

Simple story version

A Man once bought a Parrot and gave it the run of his house. It revelled in its liberty, and presently flew up on to the mantelpiece and screamed away to its heart's content.