192 CAT PROVERBS. 



" Well wots the cat whose beaj'd she licieth ."—SKELTOii's 

 Garlande of Laurel^ 1523. 



"Wei wot iiure cat whas berd he lickat." — Wright's 

 Essays, vol. i. p. 149. 



" The cat knoweth whose lips she licketh." — Heywood, 

 1562. 



The first appears the most correct. 



What the good wife spares the cat eats. Favourites are 

 well cared for. 



When candles are out all cats are gray. In the dark all 

 are alike. This is said of beauty in general. 



When the cat is away the mice will play. — "The 

 Bachelor's Banquet," 1603. Heywood's "Woman Killed 

 with Kindness," 1607. When danger is past, it is time to 

 rejoice. 



When the weasel and the cat make a marriage, it is very 

 ill presage. When enemies counsel together, take heed ; 

 when rogues agree, let the honest folk beware. 



When the maid leaves the door open, the cafs in fault. 

 It is always well to have another to bear the blame. The 

 way to do ill deeds oft makes ill deeds done. 



Who shall hang the bell about the cafs neck ? — Heywood, 

 1562. 



" Who shall ty the bell about the cat's necke low ? 



Not I (quoth the mouse), for a thing that I know." 

 The mice at a consultation held how to secure themselves 

 from the cat, resolved upon hanging a bell about her neck, 

 to give warning when she was near ; but when this was 

 resolved, they were as far to seek ; for who would do it ? — R. 

 Who will court danger to benefit others ? 



A Douglas in the olden time, at a meeting of conspirators, 

 said he would " bell the cat." Afterwards the enemy was 

 taken by him, he retaining the cognomen of " Archibald 

 Bell-the-cat." 



You can have no more of a cat tha?i its skin. You can 

 have no more of a man but what he can do or what he has, 

 or no more from a jug than what it contains. 



