She went a little farther, and she met a cat. So she said, "Cat, cat, catch rat. Rat won't gnaw rope. Rope won't tie butcher. Butcher won't drive ox. Ox won't drink water. Water won't quench fire. Fire won't burn stick. Stick won't beat dog. Dog won't bite pig. Pig won't jump over the gate. And I won't get home tonight."
But the cat said to her, "If you will go to the cow over in the field and bring me a saucer of milk, I will catch the rat." So away went the old woman to the cow.
But the cow said to her, "If you will go to that haystack, and bring me an armful of hay, I will give you the milk." So away went the old woman to the haystack, and she brought the hay to the cow.
As soon as the cow had eaten the hay, she gave the old woman the milk. And away went the old woman with the saucer of milk for the cat. The cat lapped up the milk. Then the cat began to catch the rat. The rat began to gnaw the rope. The rope began to tie the butcher. The butcher began to drive the ox. The ox began to drink the water. The water began to quench the fire. The fire began to burn the stick. The stick began to beat the dog. The dog began to bite the pig. The little pig in a fright jumped over the gate.
