by Aesop

Once upon a time all the Mice met together in Council, and discussed the best means of securing themselves against the attacks of the cat.

After several suggestions had been debated, a Mouse of some standing and experience got up and said, “I think I have hit upon a plan which will ensure our safety in the future, provided you approve and carry it out. It is that we should fasten a bell round the neck of our enemy the cat, which will by its tinkling warn us of her approach.”

This proposal was warmly applauded, and it had been already decided to adopt it, when an old Mouse got upon his feet and said, “I agree with you all that the plan before us is an admirable one: but may I ask who is going to bell the cat?”

Source: Aesop’s Fables. A new translation by V. S. Vernon Jones (1912)

Faules d’Esop

Traducció: Núria Vives

Fa molt de temps, els ratolins es van reunir en Consell i van discutir quina era la millor manera de protegir-se dels atacs del gat.

Després de debatre diverses propostes, un ratolí de cert prestigi i experiència es va aixecar i va dir: “Crec que he trobat la manera de garantir la nostra seguretat en el futur, sempre que hi estigueu d’acord i ho portem a terme: hem de posar un cascavell al voltant del coll del nostre enemic el gat i, així, la dringadissa ens advertirà de la seva proximitat.”

Aquesta proposta va ser calorosament aplaudida i ja havien decidit adoptar-la quan un vell ratolí es va alçar i va dir: “Estic d’acord amb tots vosaltres que el pla que tenim davant nostre és admirable, però… es pot saber qui posarà el cascavell al gat?”

Font: Aesop’s Fables. A new translation by V. S. Vernon Jones (1912)