The Mouse and the Cake by Eliza Cook.

A mouse found a beautiful piece of plum cake,

the richest and sweetest that mortal could make.

T'was heavy with citron and fragrant with spice,

and covered with sugar all sparkling as ice.

My stars, cried the mouse,

"'while his eyes beamed with glee.

"'Here's a treasure I found.

"'What a feast it will be!'

"'But hark! There's a noise!

"'Tis my brother's at play.

"'So I'll hide with a cake, lest they wander this way.'

"'Not a bit shall they have,

"'for I know I can eat every morsel myself,

"'and I'll have such a treat.'

"'So off went the mouse, and held the cake fast, while his hungry young brothers went

scampering past. He nibbled and nibbled and panted, but still he kept gulping it down

till he made himself ill. Yet he swallowed it all, and is easy to guess. He was soon so unwell that he groaned

with distress. His family heard him, and as he grew worse, they sent for the doctor who made

him rehearse how he'd eaten his cake to the very last crumb without giving his playmates and relatives some.

Now all little people the lesson may take, and some large ones may learn from the mouse and the cake.

Not to be over-selfish with what we may gain. and some large ones may learn from the mouse and the cake.

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