Belling the Cat

"Belling the Cat" is a fable attributed to Aesop, a fabulist from ancient Greece. The story involves a group of mice that hold a meeting to discuss the best way to protect themselves from a cat that is terrorizing them. A young mouse suggests that they could tie a bell around the cat's neck as an alert system. Although the suggestion is initially well-received, an older and wiser mouse questions who would be brave enough to bell the cat. The moral of the story underscores the difference between finding a solution and actually implementing it.

• Children

								
The Mice once called a meeting to decide on a plan to free
themselves of their enemy, the Cat. At least they wished to find
some way of knowing when she was coming, so they might have time
to run away. Indeed, something had to be done, for they lived in
such constant fear of her claws that they hardly dared stir from
their dens by night or day.

Many plans were discussed, but none of them was thought good
enough. At last a very young Mouse got up and said:

"I have a plan that seems very simple, but I know it will be
successful. All we have to do is to hang a bell about the Cat's
neck. When we hear the bell ringing we will know immediately that
our enemy is coming."

All the Mice were much surprised that they had not thought of
such a plan before. But in the midst of the rejoicing over their
good fortune, an old Mouse arose and said:

"I will say that the plan of the young Mouse is very good. But
let me ask one question: Who will bell the Cat?"

It is one thing to say that something should be done, but quite
a different matter to do it.
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