Why Dogs and Cats Are Enemies

Why Dogs and Cats Are Enemies

Long ago, a man and a woman lived in a little house with a dog and a cat.

The couple owned a golden ring. They thought it was just a pretty old piece of jewelry. They had no idea it was a lucky ring.

While the ring was in their home, there was always enough grain in the pantry, vegetables grew well in the garden, and every task seemed a little easier.

One day, the couple urgently needed money, so they sold the ring to a merchant for a very small sum.

Before long, things began to go wrong. The harvest was poor, the roof needed repairs, and their supplies ran out sooner than expected.

The dog and the cat noticed the change too.

One evening, they sat beside an empty bowl.

“Our home used to feel much cheerier,” sighed the dog.

“And there used to be more milk in my bowl,” agreed the cat.

The dog thought for a moment. “Everything changed after our people sold the golden ring.”

The cat pricked up his ears. “Do you think it’s because of the ring?”

“We should get it back and find out.”

They learned that the ring was now locked in a sturdy chest in a house across the river.

“I can squeeze into almost anywhere,” said the cat. “But I can’t open a chest.”

“I can run fast and swim well,” said the dog. “But I can’t fit through a narrow window.”

Just then, the cat spotted a little mouse peeking out from under a board.

“We could use your help,” he said politely.

The mouse was cautious. “What for?”

The cat explained everything.

“There’s a small wooden corner on the chest. Could you gnaw a hole big enough for a paw to fit through?”

“What would I get in return?” asked the mouse.

The dog thought and replied, “If our good luck comes back, there will always be a handful of grain for you in our pantry.”

“Deal,” said the mouse.

The three friends set off. Soon they reached a wide river.

The cat stopped right at the water’s edge. “I don’t like this at all.”

“Climb onto my back,” said the dog. “I’m a good swimmer.”

The cat carefully climbed onto the dog’s back, and the mouse tucked herself into the cat’s fur so she wouldn’t get wet.

The dog began to swim.

Splash, splash, splash.

The current was strong, but the dog reached the far bank safely. He waited in the shade beside the house.

“This is where my part ends,” he whispered. “You two are quieter than I am.”

The cat and the mouse slipped inside through a half-open window. They found the room with the chest, and the mouse got to work.

Nibble, nibble, nibble.

Soon there was a small hole in the wood. The cat slipped his paw inside, hooked the ring with one claw, and pulled it out.

“Got it!”

They returned to the dog, swam back across the river, and all three set off for home.

On the way, the cat realized he could take a shortcut. When he came to a house, he could hop over a fence, cross the yard, and climb over the roof. The dog had to go around every fence by the road.

“I’ll run ahead,” said the cat. “We should return the ring as soon as possible.”

“All right,” said the dog. “Just tell our people that we did it together.”

The cat raced across the rooftops and reached home first. He placed the ring in front of the couple.

“Our ring!” cried the woman.

“How did you find it?” asked the man.

The cat only purred.

Perhaps he was too tired. Perhaps he thought the dog would explain everything. Or perhaps he simply liked being stroked and praised.

“What a clever cat!” the couple said happily. “We must take good care of him.”

Soon the dog came running in. He was wet from crossing the river, tired, and covered in road dust.

He saw the couple giving the cat a treat and asked, “Did you tell them we brought the ring back together? That I carried you across the river and the mouse opened the chest?”

The cat lowered his eyes. “No… I didn’t get a chance.”

“You didn’t get a chance?” said the dog angrily. “But you had time to take a treat!”

The cat huffed. “I brought the ring home first.”

“But without me, you couldn’t even have crossed the river!”

“And without me, you wouldn’t have reached the chest!”

“And without the mouse, none of us would have gotten the ring!” barked the dog.

Just then, the mouse peeked out from behind a cupboard.

“At last, someone remembered me.”

The dog and the cat fell silent. They both felt a little ashamed.

Of course, the couple couldn’t understand their conversation. But the ring was back, and before long, things at home began to improve.

People say this is why cats and dogs have argued ever since about which of them is more important.

And when mice hear them quarreling, they hide quietly and think, “If they had shared the credit fairly from the start, they could have avoided so many arguments!”

Even the best teamwork can end in hurt feelings if someone forgets to say, “We did it together.”

May this story leave a little light in your heart ✨