OLD KING COLE'S FIDDLERS ARE RATHER RUDE TO PUSS
Reading edition
Old King Cole was a merry old soul, And a merry old soul was he; And he called for his pipe, And he called for his bowl, And he called for his fiddlers three. And every fiddler, he had a fine fiddle, And a very fine fiddle had he; "Tweedle dee, tweedle dee," said the fiddlers; "Oh, there's none so rare as can compare, With Old King Cole and his fiddlers three."
Cole Castle was a very magnificent one. Puss looked up at the great walls and sighed. "I wish I would find my dear father here, but I suppose I won't."
"No, you won't," cried a voice, and one of the three fiddlers poked his head out of a window and laughed loud and long. "There are no cats in this castle."
"No cats allowed here," cried the third fiddler, appearing at the postern gate.
Puss, Jr., almost felt like crying. "Did you ever hear of Puss in Boots?" he asked.
"Certainly," replied all three fiddlers at once, "but he doesn't live here. No cats do. We make all the noise in this castle. You don't think for a moment Old King Cole could stand any more noise, do you?"
"My father wouldn't make any noise," replied Puss, Jr., indignantly.
"I never heard of a cat that didn't," said one of the fiddlers.
"All cats make an awful noise at night," said another.
"They meow and cry like everything on the back fence," said the third fiddler. "They make more noise than a fiddle, and a worse noise than a fiddle out of tune."
"I don't like you," said Puss. "People who don't like cats are not to be trusted."
"Ha, ha!" laughed all three fiddlers, "you're jealous of us!"
"Not the least," replied Puss, stoutly. "I'm not jealous at all. I'm just indignant that you should make such a remark about my family."
"No harm meant," said the three fiddlers, "no harm meant, my good Sir Cat."
"Very well, we won't argue the matter," said Puss, "for a traveler has no time to argue if he would reach his journey's end. Time is precious, and I must be on my way. Only let me tell you, I have heard many a fiddle that made a worse noise than a cat," and with this parting remark our little hero continued on his way.