MISS JANE HAD A BAG

THE ROLE OF CATS IN NURSERY RHYMES
by Sarah Hartwell

Miss Jane had a bag, and a mouse was in it,
She opened the bag, he was out in a minute;
The Cat saw him jump, and run under the table,
And the dog said, catch him, puss, soon as you’re able.

I can personally relate to this one! When bringing in a sack of coal one evening, I was unaware that a mouse was inside the sack. This was in the days before I had cats of my own. The mouse was contained in one room and a neighbour’s cat was borrowed (with permission) – the idea being to shut the cat in for an hour or so. Sapphire dispatched the mouse within seconds of entering the room.