Then Pussy-cat Mew saw before her a tree,
    And knew that a safe place of refuge ’t would be;
    So far up the tree with a bound she did go,
    And left the big dog to growl down below.

    But now, by good fortune, a man came that way,
    And called to the dog, who was forced to obey;
    But Puss did not come down the tree till she knew
    That the man and the dog were far out of view.

    Pursuing her way, at nightfall she came
    To London, a town you know well by name;
    And wandering ’round in byway and street,
    A strange Pussy-cat she happened to meet.

    “Good evening,” said Pussy-cat Mew.  “Can you tell
    In which of these houses the Queen may now dwell? 
    I ’m a stranger in town, and I ’m anxious to see
    What sort of a person a real Queen may be.”

    “My friend,” said the other, “you really must know
    It is n’t permitted that strangers should go
    Inside of the palace, unless they ’re invited,
    And stray Pussy-cats are apt to be slighted.

    “By good luck, however, I ’m quite well aware
    Of a way to the palace by means of a stair
    That never is guarded; so just come with me,
    And a glimpse of the Queen you shall certainly see.”

    Puss thanked her new friend, and together they stole
    To the back of the palace, and crept through a hole
    In the fence, and quietly came to the stair
    Which the stranger Pussy-cat promised was there.

    “Now here I must leave you,” the strange Pussy said,
    “So do n’t be ’fraid-cat, but go straight ahead,
    And do n’t be alarmed if by chance you are seen,
    For people will think you belong to the Queen.”

    So Pussy-cat Mew did as she had been told,
    And walked through the palace with manner so bold
    She soon reached the room where the Queen sat in state,
    Surrounded by lords and by ladies so great.

    And there in the corner our Pussy sat down,
    And gazed at the scepter and blinked at the crown,
    And eyed the Queen’s dress, all purple and gold;
    Which was surely a beautiful sight to behold.

    But all of a sudden she started, for there
    Was a little gray mouse, right under the chair
    Where her Majesty sat, and Pussy well knew
    She ’d scream with alarm if the mouse met her view.

    So up toward the chair our Pussy-cat stole,
    But the mouse saw her coming and ran for its hole;
    But Pussy ran after, and during the race
    A wonderful, terrible panic took place!

    The ladies all jumped on their chairs in alarm,
    The lords drew their swords to protect them from harm,
    And the Queen gave a scream and fainted away—­
    A very undignified act, I must say.

    And some one cried “Burglars!” and some one cried “Treason!”
    And some one cried “Murder!” but none knew the reason;
    And some one cried “Fire! they are burning the house!”
    And some one cried “Silence! it ’s only a mouse!”