--- title: The Cat, the Cock, and the Fox — Cossack Fairy Tales and Folk Tales · full text with trees description: The Cat, the Cock, and the Fox, «Cossack Fairy Tales and Folk Tales»: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: There was once upon a time a cat and a cock, who agreed to live together, so they built them a hut on an ash-heap, and the cock kept house while --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/) / [Cossack Fairy Tales and Folk Tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/) / The Cat, the Cock, and the Fox # The Cat, the Cock, and the Fox The Cat, the Cock, and the Fox of «Cossack Fairy Tales and Folk Tales»: the whole text, 140 sentences and 3039 words. Every sentence has its own page with its syntax tree and pragmatics, parsed by Mova itself. **1** [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/page/2/) - [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/1/) — There was once upon a time a cat and a cock, who agreed to live together, so they built them a hut on an ash-heap, and the cock kept house while the cat went foraging for sausages. - [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/2/) — One day the fox came running up: "Open the door, little cock!" cried she.--"Pussy told me not to, little fox!" said the cock.--"Open the door, little cock!" repeated the fox.--"I tell you, pussy told me not to, little fox!"--At last, however, the cock grew tired of always saying "No!" so he opened the door, and in the fox rushed, seized him in her jaws, and ran off with him. - [3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/3/) — Then the cock cried: - [4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/4/) — "\_Help! pussy-pussy! - [5](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/5/) — That foxy hussy Has got me tight With all her might. - [6](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/6/) — Across her tail My legs do trail Along the bridge so stony! - [7](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/7/) — \_" - [8](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/8/) — The cat heard it, gave chase to the fox, rescued the cock, brought him home, scolded him well, and said, "Now keep out of her jaws in the future, if you don't want to be killed altogether!" - [9](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/9/) — Then the cat went out foraging for wheat, so that the cock might have something to eat. - [10](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/10/) — He had scarcely gone when the sly she-fox again came creeping up. " - [11](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/11/) — Dear little cock!" said she, "pray open the door!"--"Nay, little fox! - [12](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/12/) — Pussy said I wasn't to." - [13](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/13/) — But the fox went on asking and asking till at last the cock let him in. - [14](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/14/) — Then the fox rushed at him, seized him by the neck, and ran off with him. - [15](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/15/) — Then the cock cried out: - [16](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/16/) — "\_Help! pussy-pussy! - [17](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/17/) — That foxy hussy Has got me tight With all her might. - [18](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/18/) — Across her tail My legs do trail Along the bridge so stony! - [19](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/19/) — \_" - [20](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/20/) — The cat heard it, and again he ran after the fox and rescued the cock, and gave the fox a sound drubbing. - [21](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/21/) — Then he said to the cock, "Now, mind you never let her come in again, or she'll eat you." - [22](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/22/) — But the next time the cat went out, the she-fox came again, and said, "Dear little cock, open the door!"--"No, little fox! - [23](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/23/) — Pussy said I wasn't to." - [24](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/24/) — But the fox begged and begged so piteously that, at last, the cock was quite touched, and opened the door. - [25](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/25/) — Then the fox caught him by the throat again, and ran away with him, and the cock cried: - [26](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/26/) — "\_Help! pussy-pussy! - [27](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/27/) — That foxy hussy Has got me tight With all her might. - [28](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/28/) — Across her tail My legs do trail Along the bridge so stony! - [29](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/29/) — \_" - [30](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/30/) — The cat heard it, and gave chase again. - [31](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/31/) — He ran and ran, but this time he couldn't catch the fox up; so he returned home and wept bitterly, because he was now all alone. - [32](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/32/) — At last, however, he dried his tears and got him a little fiddle, a little fiddle-bow, and a big sack, and went to the fox's hole and began to play: - [33](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/33/) — "\_Fiddle-de-dee! - [34](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/34/) — The foxy so wee Had daughters twice two, And a little son too, Called Phil.--Fiddle-dee! - [35](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/35/) — Come, foxy, and see My sweet minstrelsy! - [36](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/36/) — \_" - [37](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/37/) — Then the fox's daughter said, "Mammy, I'll go out and see who it is that is playing so nicely!" - [38](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/38/) — So out she skipped, but no sooner did pussy see her than he caught hold of her and popped her into his sack. - [39](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/39/) — Then he played again: - [40](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/40/) — "\_Fiddle-de-dee! - [41](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/41/) — The foxy so wee Had daughters twice two, And a little son too, Called Phil.--Fiddle-dee! - [42](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/42/) — Come, foxy, and see My sweet minstrelsy! - [43](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/43/) — \_" - [44](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/44/) — Then the second daughter skipped out, and pussy caught her by the forehead, and popped her into his sack, and went on playing and singing till he had got all four daughters into his sack, and the little son also. - [45](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/45/) — Then the old fox was left all alone, and she waited and waited, but not one of them came back. - [46](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/46/) — At last she said to herself, "I'll go out and call them home, for the cock is roasting, and the milk pottage is simmering, and 'tis high time we had something to eat." - [47](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/47/) — So out she popped, and the cat pounced upon her, and killed her too. - [48](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/48/) — Then he went and drank up all the soup, and gobbled up all the pottage, and then he saw the cock lying on a plate. " - [49](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/49/) — Come, shake yourself, cock!" said puss. - [50](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/50/) — So the cock shook himself, and got up, and the cat took the cock home, and the dead foxes too. - [51](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/51/) — And when they got home they skinned them to make nice beds to lie upon, and lived happily together in peace and plenty. - [52](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/52/) — And as they laughed over the joke as a good joke, we may laugh over it too! - [53](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/53/) — THE SERPENT-TSAREVICH AND HIS TWO WIVES - [54](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/54/) — There was once a Tsaritsa who had no child, and greatly desired one, so the soothsayers said to her, "Bid them catch thee a pike, bid them boil its head and nothing but its head, eat it, and thou shalt see what will happen." - [55](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/55/) — So she did so. - [56](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/56/) — She ate the pike's head and went about as usual for a whole year, and when the year was out she gave birth to a son who was a serpent. - [57](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/57/) — And no sooner was he born than he looked about him, and said, "Mammy and daddy! - [58](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/58/) — Bid them make me a stone hut, and let there be a little bed there, and a little stove and a fire to warm me, and let me be married in a fortnight!"--So they did as he desired. - [59](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/59/) — They shut him up in a stone hut, with a little bed and a little stove and fire to warm him, and in a fortnight he grew quite big, indeed he grew too big for his little bed. " - [60](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/60/) — And now," said he, "I want to be married!" - [61](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/61/) — So they brought to him all the fair young damsels of the land that he might choose one to be his own true bride. - [62](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/62/) — Exceeding fair were all the damsels they brought him, and yet he would choose none of them. - [63](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/63/) — Now there was an old woman there, who had twelve daughters, and eleven of these daughters they brought to the Serpent-Tsarevich, but not the twelfth. " - [64](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/64/) — She is too young!" said they.--Then the youngest daughter said, "Ye fools, not to take me too! - [65](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/65/) — Why, if I were brought to the Serpent-Tsarevich, he would make me his bride at once." - [66](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/66/) — Now this came to the Tsar's ears, and he commanded them to bring her to him straightway. - [67](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/67/) — And the Tsar said to her, "Wilt thou be my son's bride or not?"--And she said, "I will; but before I go to thy son, give me at once a score of chemises, and a score of linen kirtles, and a score of woollen kirtles, and twenty pairs of shoes--twenty of each, I say."--So the Tsar gave them to her, and she put on the twenty chemises, the twenty linen kirtles, the twenty woollen kirtles, and the twenty pairs of shoes, one after the other, and went to see the Serpent-Tsarevich. - [68](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/68/) — When she came to the threshold of his hut, she stopped and said, "Hail, O Serpent-Tsarevich!"--"Hail, maiden!" cried he. " - [69](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/69/) — Wilt thou be my bride?"--"I will!"--"Then take off one of thy skins!" cried he.--"Yes," she said, "but thou must do the same."--So he cast off one of his skins, and she cast off one of her twenty suits of clothes. - [70](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/70/) — Then he cried out again, "Cast off another of thy skins, maiden."--"Yes," she replied, "but thou must cast off one too!"--So he did so. - [71](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/71/) — Nineteen times did he cast off one of his serpent's skins, and nineteen times did she cast off one of her suits of clothes, till at last she had only her every-day suit left, and he had only his human skin left. - [72](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/72/) — Then he threw off his last skin also, and it flew about in the air like a gossamer, whereupon she seized hold of it and threw it into the fire that was burning on the hearth till it was all consumed, and he stood before her no longer a serpent, but a simple Tsarevich. - [73](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/73/) — Then they married and lived happily together, but the husband never would go to visit his old father the Tsar, nor would he allow his bride to go near the palace. - [74](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/74/) — CLOTHES\] - [75](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/75/) — The old Tsar sent for him again and again, but his son would never go. - [76](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/76/) — At last the wife was ashamed, and said to her husband one day, "Dear heart! let me go to thy father! - [77](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/77/) — I will only go for my own pastime, lest he get angry. - [78](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/78/) — Why should I not go?" - [79](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/79/) — Then he let her go, and she went to the court of the old Tsar, and took her pastime there. - [80](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/80/) — She amused herself finely, and ate and drank her fill of all good things. - [81](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/81/) — Now her husband had laid this command upon her, "Go and divert thyself if thou wilt, but if thou tell my father and my mother what has happened to me, and how I have lost my twenty serpent skins, thou shalt never see me more." - [82](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/82/) — For they did not know that he was now no longer a serpent, but a simple Tsarevich. - [83](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/83/) — She vowed she would never tell; but for all her promises, she nevertheless told them at last how her husband had lost his twenty serpent skins. - [84](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/84/) — Then she enjoyed herself to her heart's content, but when she returned home she found no trace of her husband--he had departed to another kingdom in the uttermost parts of the world. - [85](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/85/) — Then the poor bride sat her down and wept and wept, and when she had no more tears to weep, she went forth into the wide world to seek her husband. - [86](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/86/) — She went on till she came to a lonely little house, and she went and begged a night's lodging from the old woman who dwelt there, who was the Mother of the Winds. - [87](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/87/) — But the Mother of the Winds would not let her in. " - [88](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/88/) — God preserve thee, child!" said she. " - [89](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/89/) — My son is already winging his way hither. - [90](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/90/) — In another moment thou wilt hear the rustling of his wings, in another moment he will slay thee, and scatter thy bones to the four winds." - [91](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/91/) — But the bride besought the old woman till she had her desire, and the old woman hid her behind a huge chest. - [92](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/92/) — A moment afterward the son of the Mother of the Winds came flying up, and he smelt out the bride, and said, "What's this, mother? - [93](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/93/) — There is an evil smell of Cossack bones about the house!"--"No, it is not that," said his mother, "but a young woman has taken shelter here, who says that she is going in search of her husband."--"Then, mother, give her the little silver apple, and let her go, for her husband is in another kingdom." - [94](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/94/) — So they sent her away with the little silver apple. - [95](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/95/) — She went on and on till night descended upon her, and she came to the lonely abode of another old woman, and begged a night's lodging of her also. - [96](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/96/) — But the old woman would not let her in. " - [97](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/97/) — My son will be here presently," said she, "and he will slay thee."--"Nay, but, granny," said the bride, "I've already stayed the night with such as thou, for I have lodged at the house of the Mother of the Winds."--Then the old woman took her in, and hid her, for she was the Mother of the Moon. - [98](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/98/) — And immediately afterward the Moon came flying up. " - [99](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/99/) — What is this, little mother?" cried he. " - [100](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/100/) — I smell an evil smell of Cossack bones!"--But she said to him, "Nay, my dear little son, but a young woman has come hither who is obliged to search for her husband because she told his father and mother the truth." **1** [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/20/page/2/) - ← previous: [The Tsar and the Angel](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/19/) - next →: [The Origin of the Mole](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/21/) - ↑ back to [Cossack Fairy Tales and Folk Tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg29672/)