Cat and Mouse

The Cat, the Rats, and the Divine Bell: A Tale of Cleverness Triumphing Over Arrogance in the Monastery

Edisi Indonesia: Kucing dan Tikus

Mendut Fable from Central Java (The story originally from India)

In a peaceful monastery, perched on a hill surrounded by lush green trees, lived an old, wise monk. However, lately, his heart had been filled with frustration. The monastery, which was supposed to be a place of serenity and peace, was now plagued by rats that sneaked in and stole food. Every night, the monk was awakened by the sound of rats devouring his food supplies.

Unable to tolerate the rats' behavior any longer, the monk decided to adopt a black cat named Raja. “Raja,” he said, patting the cat’s head, “from today, your task is to guard the monastery and catch those shameless rats.”

The cat felt proud of his new duty. He prowled around the monastery with confidence, ready to pounce on any rat that dared to appear.

On the other hand, the rats began to feel their lives were in danger. Every time they tried to find food, the cat was there, ready to strike. Even the bigger, faster rats had already become the cat’s prey. They were terrified, hungry, and desperate.

In a dark corner of the monastery, a group of rats gathered, anxiously discussing how to escape their worsening situation.

“What are we going to do?” one of the adult rats sighed, his eyes filled with worry.

“I’ll try to go out and find food,” said a young rat, bravely stepping forward.

But the adult rat quickly stopped him. “Are you crazy? Bigger and faster rats than you have already been caught!”

The young rat, named Clever, looked at the elder rat calmly. “Give me one chance. Waiting here is just as risky. We could die of hunger, or I could try to find a solution.”

After a long discussion, the rats reluctantly let Clever try. With great caution, he sneaked out of their hiding spot, carrying with him a few small bells he had found in the monastery’s storeroom.

As he approached the cat lounging in the courtyard, the cat grinned. “You poor rat,” said the cat as he padded closer, “delivering yourself to me.”

But Clever, unfazed, bowed respectfully. “Yes, Your Majesty. But before you eat me, don’t you think that you’re being enslaved by the monk?”

The cat was taken aback. “What do you mean?” he asked, intrigued.

“Since you’ve been here, look at the monk. He’s become lazier. He used to always be on guard, but now, that duty has completely fallen to Your Majesty. Day and night, you have to chase us, while the monk just sits back and relaxes.”

The cat frowned. “You’re right,” he muttered.

Sensing that the cat was beginning to reflect, Clever continued, “I came here only to deliver a gift from the Gods for the monk, but I realized he’s not worthy of it. Instead, I want to offer this divine bell to Your Majesty.”

Feeling flattered, the cat responded haughtily, “Alright, since you appreciate me so much, I will spare your life this time. Go on, leave!”

The young rat smiled inwardly and handed the small bell to the cat. The cat proudly wore it around his neck, thinking it symbolized his power. But the bell soon became an instrument for the rats to detect the cat’s presence wherever he went.

From that day on, the rats could easily avoid the cat because they always heard the bell jingling whenever he moved.

Moral of the story:

Strength and power can easily be outwitted by cleverness. Even when someone holds great power, foolishness or arrogance will make them vulnerable to a well-crafted trick.

Cat and Mouse