230 THE FIRESIDE SPHINX 



" A, B, C, 

 Le chat est alle 

 Dans la neige ; en retournant, 

 II avait les souliers tous blancs." 



All white like Baby's knitted shoes, held up for 

 illustration. The children see Pussy picking her 

 dainty way through the soft snow with little shivers 

 of cold, and little shakings of her paw at the chilli- 

 ness of her new foot-gear, just as they see her mak- 

 ing her careful toilet in this bit of rhyme equally 

 familiar to their nurseries. 



" Le chat a Jeannette 

 Est une jolie bete. 

 Quand il veut se faire beau, 

 II se leche le museau ; 

 Avec sa salive 

 II fait la lessive." 



I wonder why the French cat is always "he," 

 and the English cat is almost always "she," even 

 when confessedly a Tom. I have heard of college 

 cats, grave Fellows of Baliol and Magdalen, who 

 deeply resented being called " she " by feminine 

 visitors, unaware apparently of the laws which gov- 

 ern such institutions. But in the French nurseries, 

 no insult is ever offered to masculinity. 



" II etait une bergere, 

 Et ron, ron, ron, petit patapon, 

 II etait une bergere 

 Qui gardait ses moutons, 



Ron, ron, 

 Qui gardait ses moutons. 



