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Little Cat was brave. He said so. He said, "I am the bravest cat in the world. I chase mice. I chase butterflies. I chase sparrows and beetles and gnats and bees. Everything in the garden is afraid of me."
Big Cat was basking in the sun. He yawned a pink yawn. He said, "You're not brave. You're just a bully. One of these days something will frighten you."
"Not me!" said Little Cat.
But he had run out of things to chase.
"I'm going next door," he said.
"Watch out for the dog," said Big Cat.
Little Cat squeezed through the hedge into next door's garden.
He heard barking. A dog bounded out from behind a bush.
Little Cat ran. The dog leapt after him, but he was tied up; the rope stopped his spring. He barked and strained at the rope.
Little Cat felt braver. He crept close to the dog until he was just ou.t of reach. Then he arched his back and hissed. The dog barked and barked, but he couldn't catch Little Cat. Little Cat hissed again and went home.
"I am the bravest cat in the world," he told Big Cat. "I frightened the dog."
Big Cat caught the tip of his tail between his paws and licked it clean. "One of these days," he said, "something will frighten you."
"Not me!" said Little Cat. "I'm going next door but one."
"Watch out for the cockerel," said Big Cat.
Little Cat jumped over the wall into next door but one's garden. He saw hens. He stalked them, swishing his tail. The hens flapped and squawked and ran about scolding.
The cockerel marched out from behind the hen house. Little Cat ran. The cockerel followed him. Little Cat saw the cockerel's stabbing beak and curved claws. He climbed a tree.
Now he felt braver. He arched his back and hissed.
The cockerel paced up and down under the tree but he couldn't catch Little Cat.
Little Cat hissed again and went home.
"I am the bravest cat in the world," he told Big Cat. "I frightened the cockerel."
Big Cat licked his left paw and whisked it atbund his ears. "One of these days," he said, "something will frighten you."
"Not me!" said Little Cat. "I'm going next door but two."
"Watch out for the pigeons," said Big Cat.
Little Cat slipped through a hole in the fence into next door but two's garden. He saw the pigeon loft. He heard the pigeons. "Croo-oom, croo-oom," they said.
Little Cat saw pigeons flying down. There was a ledge high on the side of the loft. One by one the pigeons landed on it and slipped inside through a gap. Little Cat hid in the grass and watched.
"Croo-oom, croo-oom," said the pigeons from inside the loft. Little Cat crept out of his hiding place. He ran to the loft and climbed up.
The gap was bird-sized. Little Cat peered in. He saw feathers and beaks and eyes. He heard flutterings and rustlings. His tail began to twitch. He made himself small. He became a mere sliver of cat. He squeezed through -and tumbled down onto the floor of the loft.
At once there was an explosion of wings. Wings beat like . thunder; feathers brushed his face; beaks and claws and angry eyes swept by.
"Miaow!" cried Little Cat. "Let me out!"
He looked for the way out. It was high up, and the loft was full of frantic pigeons. Pigeons swooped down beating him with their wings. Little Cat was knocked to the ground.
"Miaow! Miaow!" he cried.
He looked up and saw the ledge. He leapt at the wall, clinging with his claws. Wings beat and battered him; feathers flew. Little Cat fell to the floor in a storm of wings.
"Miaow!" he cried. "Big Cat! Save me! Miaow! Miaow!"
Big Cat couldn't hear him. But someone else did. A door opened. Little Cat saw shoes and a broom and heard a man's voice. The broom prodded him. It pushed him out the door, out into fresh air and safety .
Little Cat ran. He ran across lawns, across flower-beds, through the hole in the fence, over the wall, under the hedge; he ran all the way to his own garden and sprang .rough his own cat-flap.
Big Cat was cleaning his whiskers. He saw Little Cat's bristling fur and wide-open eyes. He guessed that Little Cat would not visit the pigeons again.
"It's a fine evening," he said. "What will you be chasing tonight, Little Cat?"
Little Cat lay down and stretched. He examined his claws like a cat who has hunted well.
"I've had a busy day," he said. "Tonight I think I shall rest."
