The Greedy Cat
by Unknown · from Tales of Laughter: A third fairy book
Adapted Version
Once there was a very big cat. This cat loved to eat. It ate and ate and ate! The Big Cat was very big. It was always hungry. The Farmer said, "Cat eats too much." "Cat must go."
The Farmer's Wife gave The Big Cat food. It was a very big meal. The Big Cat ate all the food. It ate it very fast. Then The Big Cat ran away. It jumped out the window.
The Big Cat met The Farmer. The Farmer worked outside. "Hello, Farmer," said The Big Cat. "Did you eat?" asked The Farmer. "I am very hungry!" said The Big Cat. "I ate a little. Now I eat you." The Big Cat ate him.
The Big Cat met The Farmer's Wife. "I ate The Farmer. Now I eat you." Cat ate her. The Big Cat met The Cow. "I ate Farmer and Wife. Now I eat you." Cat ate her. The Big Cat met a fox. "I ate Farmer, Wife, Cow. Now I eat you." The Big Cat ate the fox. The Big Cat met a bear. "I ate Farmer, Wife, Cow, Fox. Now I eat you." The Big Cat ate the bear.
The Big Cat met a wedding party. "I ate Farmer, Wife, Cow, Fox, Bear. Now I eat you." The Big Cat ate the wedding party. The Big Cat met people with a big box. "I ate Farmer, Wife, Cow, Fox, Bear, Wedding Party. Now I eat you." The Big Cat ate the people and the big box.
The Big Cat flew up to the sky. "I ate Farmer, Wife, Cow, Fox, Bear, Wedding Party, People and Box. Now I eat the moon." The Big Cat ate the big round moon. "Now I eat the sun." The Big Cat ate the bright sun.
The Big Cat was very, very big. It met a small goat on a bridge. The goat was brave. "Hello, Big Cat," said The Brave Goat. "Will you eat me?" "I ate Farmer, Wife, Cow, Fox, Bear, Wedding Party, People and Box, Moon, Sun. Now I eat you!" said The Big Cat. "No! You will not eat me!" said The Brave Goat.
The Brave Goat pushed The Big Cat. It pushed with its head. The Big Cat fell into the water. Splash! The Big Cat's big tummy opened up. Out came the sun. Out came the moon. Out came the people and the big box. Out came the wedding party. Out came the bear. Out came the fox. Out came the cow. Out came the Farmer's Wife. Out came the Farmer. Everyone was happy. They were all safe. They went home.
Everyone was happy. The Big Cat learned that being too greedy is not good. And the brave goat was a hero!
Original Story
The Greedy Cat
Once on a time there was a man who had a Cat, and she was so awfully big, and such a beast to eat, he couldn’t keep her any longer. So she was to go down to the river with a stone round her neck, but before she started she was to have a meal of meat. So the goody set before her a bowl of porridge and a little trough of fat. That the creature crammed into her, and ran off and jumped through the window. Outside stood the goodman by the barndoor threshing.
“Good day, goodman,” said the Cat.
“Good day, pussy,” said the goodman; “have you had any food to-day?”
“Oh, I’ve had a little, but I’m ‘most fasting,” said the Cat; “it was only a bowl of porridge and a trough of fat—and, now I think of it, I’ll take you too,” and so she took the goodman and gobbled him up.
When she had done that, she went into the byre, and there sat the goody milking.
“Good day, goody,” said the Cat.
“Good day, pussy,” said the goody; “are you here, and have you eaten up your food yet?”
“Oh, I’ve eaten a little to-day, but I’m ‘most fasting,” said pussy; “it was only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman—and, now I think of it, I’ll take you too,” and so she took the goody and gobbled her up.
“Good day, you cow at the manger,” said the Cat to Daisy the cow.
“Good day, pussy,” said the bell-cow; “have you had any food to-day?”
“Oh, I’ve had a little, but I’m ‘most fasting,” said the 279Cat; “I’ve only had a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the goody—and, now I think of it, I’ll take you too,” and so she took the cow and gobbled her up.
Then off she set into the home-field, and there stood a man picking up leaves.
“Good day, you leaf-picker in the field,” said the Cat.
“Good day, pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?” said the leaf-picker.
“Oh, I’ve had a little, but I’m ‘most fasting,” said the Cat; “it was only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the goody, and Daisy the cow—and, now I think of it, I’ll take you too.” So she took the leaf-picker and gobbled him up.
Then she came to a heap of stones, and there stood a stoat and peeped out.
“Good day, Mr. Stoat of Stoneheap,” said the Cat.
“Good day, Mrs. Pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?”
“Oh, I’ve had a little, but I’m ‘most fasting,” said the Cat; “it was only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker—and, now I think of it, I’ll take you too.” So she took the stoat and gobbled him up.
When she had gone a bit farther, she came to a hazel-brake, and there sat a squirrel gathering nuts.
“Good day, Sir Squirrel of the Brake,” said the Cat.
“Good day, Mrs. Pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?”
“Oh, I’ve had a little, but I’m ‘most fasting,” said the Cat; “it was only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat—and, now I think of it, I’ll take you too.” So she took the squirrel and gobbled him up.
When she had gone a little farther, she saw Reynard the fox, who was prowling about by the woodside.
“Good day, Reynard Slyboots,” said the Cat.
280“Good day, Mrs. Pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?”
“Oh, I’ve had a little, but I’m ‘most fasting,” said the Cat; “it was only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and the squirrel—and, now I think of it, I’ll take you too.” So she took Reynard and gobbled him up.
When she had gone a little farther she met Long Ears, the hare.
“Good day, Mr. Hopper the hare,” said the Cat.
“Good day, Mrs. Pussy; have you had anything to eat today?”
“Oh, I’ve had a little, but I’m ‘most fasting,” said the Cat; “it was only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and the squirrel, and the fox—and, now I think of it, I’ll take you too.” So she took the hare and gobbled him up.
When she had gone a bit farther she met a wolf.
“Good day, you Greedy Graylegs,” said the Cat.
“Good day, Mrs. Pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?”
“Oh, I’ve had a little, but I’m ‘most fasting,” said the Cat; “it was only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and the squirrel, and the fox, and the hare—and, now I think of it, I may as well take you too.” So she took and gobbled up Graylegs too.
So she went on into the wood, and when she had gone far and farther than far, o’er hill and dale, she met a bear-cub.
“Good day, you bare-breeched bear,” said the Cat.
“Good day, Mrs. Pussy,” said the bear-cub; “have you had anything to eat to-day?”
“Oh, I’ve had a little, but I’m ‘most fasting,” said the Cat; “it was only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and the squirrel, and the fox, and the hare, and 281the wolf—and, now I think of it, I may as well take you too.” And so she took the bear-cub and gobbled him up.
When the Cat had gone a bit farther, she met a she-bear, who was tearing away at a stump till the splinters flew, so angry was she at having lost her cub.
“Good day, you Mrs. Bruin,” said the Cat.
“Good day, Mrs. Pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?”
“Oh, I’ve had a little, but I’m ‘most fasting,” said the Cat; “it was only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and the squirrel, and the fox, and the hare, and the wolf, and the bear-cub—and, now I think of it, I’ll take you too,” and so she took Mrs. Bruin and gobbled her up too.
When the Cat got still farther on, she met Baron Bruin himself.
“Good day, you Baron Bruin,” said the Cat.
“Good day, Mrs. Pussy,” said Bruin; “have you had anything to eat to-day?”
“Oh, I’ve had a little, but I’m ‘most fasting,” said the Cat; “it was only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and the squirrel, and the fox, and the hare, and the wolf, and the bear-cub, and the she-bear—and, now I think of it, I’ll take you too,” and so she took Bruin and ate him up too.
So the Cat went on and on, and farther than far, till she came to the abodes of men again, and there she met a bridal train on the road.
“Good day, you bridal train on the king’s highway,” said she.
“Good day, Mrs. Pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?”
“Oh, I’ve had a little, but I’m ‘most fasting,” said the Cat; “it was only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and the squirrel, and the fox, and the hare, and 282the wolf, and the bear-cub, and the she-bear, and the he-bear—and, now I think of it, I’ll take you too,” and so she rushed at them, and gobbled up both the bride and bridegroom, and the whole train, with the cook and the fiddler, and the horses and all.
When she had gone still farther, she came to a church, and there she met a funeral.
“Good day, you funeral train,” said she.
“Good day, Mrs. Pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?”
“Oh, I’ve had a little, but I’m ‘most fasting,” said the Cat; “it was only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and the squirrel, and the fox, and the hare, and the wolf, and the bear-cub, and the she-bear, and the he-bear, and the bride and bridegroom, and the whole train—and, now, I don’t mind if I take you too,” and so she fell on the funeral train and gobbled up both the body and the bearers.
Now when the Cat had got the body in her, she was taken up to the sky, and when she had gone a long, long way, she met the moon.
“Good day, Mrs. Moon,” said the Cat.
“Good day, Mrs. Pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?”
“Oh, I’ve had a little, but I’m ‘most fasting,” said the Cat; “it was only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and the squirrel, and the fox, and the hare, and the wolf, and the bear-cub, and the she-bear, and the he-bear, and the bride and bridegroom, and the whole train, and the funeral train—and, now I think of it, I don’t mind if I take you too,” and so she seized hold of the moon, and gobbled her up, both new and full.
So the Cat went a long way still, and then she met the sun.
“Good day, you sun in heaven.”
“Good day, Mrs. Pussy,” said the sun; “have you had anything to eat to-day?”
283“Oh, I’ve had a little, but I’m ‘most fasting,” said the Cat; “it was only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and the squirrel, and the fox, and the hare, and the wolf, and the bear-cub, and the she-bear, and the he-bear, and the bride and bridegroom, and the whole train, and the funeral train, and the moon—and, now I think of it, I don’t mind if I take you too,” and so she rushed at the sun in heaven and gobbled him up.
So the cat went far and farther than far, till she came to a bridge, and on it she met a big billy-goat.
“Good day, you Billy-goat on Broad-bridge,” said the Cat.
“Good day, Mrs. Pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?” said the billy-goat.
“Oh, I’ve had a little, but I’m ‘most fasting; I’ve only had a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the goody in the byre, and Daisy the cow at the manger, and the leaf-picker in the home-field, and Mr. Stoat of Stoneheap, and Sir Squirrel of the Brake, and Reynard Slyboots, and Mr. Hopper the hare, and Greedy Graylegs the wolf, and Bare-breech the bear-cub, and Mrs. Bruin, and Baron Bruin, and a bridal train on the king’s highway, and a funeral at the church, and Lady Moon in the sky, and Lord Sun in heaven—and, now I think of it, I’ll take you too.”
“That we’ll fight about,” said the billy-goat, and butted at the Cat till she fell right over the bridge into the river, and there she burst.
So they all crept out one after the other, and went about their business, and were just as good as ever, all that the Cat had gobbled up. The goodman of the house, and the goody in the byre, and Daisy the cow at the manger, and the leaf-picker in the home-field, and Mr. Stoat of Stoneheap, and Sir Squirrel of the Brake, and Reynard Slyboots, and Mr. Hopper the hare, and Greedy Graylegs the wolf, and Bare-breech the bear-cub, and Mrs. Bruin, and Baron Bruin, and the bridal train on the highway, and the funeral train at the church, and Lady Moon in the sky, and Lord Sun in heaven.
Story DNA
Moral
Unchecked greed can lead to one's own downfall, and even the most powerful can be overcome by the seemingly insignificant.
Plot Summary
A man's impossibly large and greedy cat, destined for the river, escapes and begins to devour everything it encounters, from its owners and farm animals to wild creatures, a wedding party, a funeral procession, and even the moon and sun. The cat's insatiable appetite leads it to become monstrously huge. Finally, it meets a billy-goat on a bridge who refuses to be eaten and butts the cat into the river. The cat bursts, releasing all its victims unharmed, who then return to their lives.
Themes
Emotional Arc
escalating absurdity to sudden comeuppance
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
This tale is a variant of a widespread cumulative folk tale type (Aarne-Thompson-Uther ATU 2030, 'The Gluttonous Cat' or 'The Great Big Giant Who Ate Everything'). It reflects a common folk narrative structure where a character's actions escalate to an absurd degree before a simple resolution.
Plot Beats (11)
- A man decides to get rid of his excessively large and greedy cat.
- The cat is given a final large meal, which it devours, then escapes through a window.
- The cat encounters the goodman, claims to be 'most fasting' despite its meal, and gobbles him up.
- The cat continues its journey, meeting and devouring the goody, a cow, a leaf-picker, a stoat, a squirrel, a fox, a hare, a wolf, a bear-cub, a she-bear, and a he-bear, each time listing its growing list of victims.
- The cat encounters a bridal train and devours everyone in it, including the bride, groom, cook, fiddler, and horses.
- The cat encounters a funeral train and devours the body and bearers.
- The cat ascends to the sky and devours the moon, then the sun.
- The cat, now impossibly bloated, meets a billy-goat on a bridge.
- The billy-goat challenges the cat, refusing to be eaten.
- The billy-goat butts the cat, knocking it into the river.
- The cat bursts, and all the people and creatures it had consumed emerge unharmed and return to their lives.
Characters
The Cat
An extraordinarily large and robust domestic cat, far beyond the size of any normal feline, with a distended belly that grows larger with each meal. Her fur is likely a common domestic cat color, perhaps a tabby or solid grey/black, but its primary characteristic is its sheer bulk.
Attire: None, as she is an animal.
Wants: To eat everything and everyone she encounters, driven by an endless hunger.
Flaw: Her extreme greed and overconfidence, which lead her to challenge the Billy-goat, who is her physical match.
She starts as an outcast due to her size and greed, grows exponentially in power and size by consuming everything in her path, but ultimately meets her demise due to her insatiable nature and overconfidence.
Greedy, insatiable, cunning, deceptive, gluttonous.
The Goodman
A sturdy, middle-aged man, likely of a Northern European peasant build, with hands calloused from farm work. He would be of average height and build for a farmer of the era.
Attire: Simple, practical Northern European peasant clothing: a coarse linen or wool tunic, sturdy breeches, and leather boots or wooden clogs. Colors would be earthy and muted, like browns, greys, or undyed linen.
Wants: To manage his farm and family, and to rid himself of the problematic Cat.
Flaw: Underestimates the Cat's cunning and hunger.
He is one of the Cat's first victims, swallowed whole, and later released unharmed.
Practical, hardworking, somewhat naive to the Cat's true nature.
The Goody
A sturdy, practical woman, likely of a Northern European peasant build, with a matronly figure. Her hands would be accustomed to household and farm chores.
Attire: Simple, practical Northern European peasant clothing: a long-sleeved linen shift, a wool overdress or apron in muted colors (e.g., forest green, deep blue), and a plain headscarf. Wooden clogs on her feet.
Wants: To care for her household and family, and to ensure the Cat is fed before its departure.
Flaw: Underestimates the Cat's insatiable hunger.
She is swallowed by the Cat and later released unharmed.
Caring (initially towards the Cat), diligent, practical.
Daisy the Cow
A large, healthy dairy cow, likely a common breed in Northern Europe, such as a Norwegian Red or similar, with a sturdy build and prominent udders. Her coat would be a mix of white and brown or red patches.
Attire: None, other than a bell.
Wants: To graze and provide milk.
Flaw: Her gentle nature and inability to defend herself against the Cat.
Swallowed by the Cat and later released unharmed.
Docile, calm, unsuspecting.
The Billy-goat
A large, powerful billy-goat with a shaggy coat, strong legs, and impressive, curved horns. His fur would be a natural color like brown, black, or grey, with a prominent beard.
Attire: None, as he is an animal.
Wants: To defend himself against the Cat's insatiable hunger.
Flaw: None apparent, he is the hero who defeats the Cat.
He is the only character who resists and defeats the Cat, acting as the unexpected hero.
Brave, defiant, strong-willed, decisive.
Locations
Farmyard with Barn and Byre
A bustling Norwegian farmyard, likely in a valley, with a traditional timber barn where the goodman is threshing. Nearby is a byre, a cowshed, where the goody is milking. The ground is likely packed earth or stone, with some scattered straw or hay. The air is crisp and clear.
Mood: Initially mundane and industrious, quickly turns ominous and absurd.
The Cat begins its insatiable feast, consuming the goodman, the goody, and the cow.
Forest Edge and Deep Woods
A varied natural landscape transitioning from an open home-field to dense woods. The home-field has scattered leaves, suggesting autumn. The woods contain specific features like a hazel-brake (a thicket of hazelnut trees) and a heap of stones, indicating a wild, untamed environment. Further into the woods, the terrain becomes more rugged, with hills and dales, suggesting a vast, ancient forest typical of Scandinavia.
Mood: Wild, expansive, and increasingly isolated as the Cat ventures deeper.
The Cat encounters and devours various forest animals: a leaf-picker, a stoat, a squirrel, a fox, a hare, wolves, and bears.
King's Highway and Church
A well-traveled road, the 'king's highway,' suggesting a main thoroughfare connecting settlements. It leads to a church, likely a traditional Norwegian stave church or a simple stone/timber church, indicating a return to human civilization after the wilderness. The road is wide enough for a bridal train and a funeral procession.
Mood: Initially festive and solemn, quickly turning bizarre and terrifying.
The Cat consumes an entire bridal train and then a funeral procession, marking its return to human settlements.
The Celestial Realm
The vast, empty expanse of space, where the moon and sun reside. It is a dark, infinite void punctuated by the luminous bodies of the moon and sun, depicted as personified entities.
Mood: Sublime, ethereal, and ultimately consumed by the Cat's greed.
The Cat's greed escalates to cosmic proportions, as it devours the moon and the sun, plunging the world into darkness.
Broad Bridge over a River
A sturdy, broad bridge spanning a river, likely made of stone or heavy timber, suggesting a significant crossing point. The river below is deep and flowing. The bridge is wide enough for a large billy-goat to stand upon.
Mood: Climactic, decisive, and ultimately liberating.
The billy-goat butts the Cat off the bridge, causing it to burst and release all it had consumed, ending its reign of terror.