two hungarian cat fables

thanks vintageimages.org (PD)

From a volume introducing Hungarian poetry and fables to an English-speaking audience (the Hungarian titles are in parentheses).

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THE CHILD AND THE CAT.
(A GYERMEK ES A MACSEA.)
A Farmer's child was once teazing a cat, by offering her a mouthful of cheese, and then mischievously snatching it away from her. The mouse-catcher after a time slunk away ; but soon sidled back again, unobserved, to her tormentor; when just as he was about to take a fresh piece into his mouth, she, making a dexterous spring, tore it out of the crying child's hand, and then, eagerly snapping it up, ran off with it.
"See, my son," said the father to the weeping lad; "repeated deception teaches others to deceive."

CONDESCENSION OF THE GREAT.
(NAGYOK LEERESZKEDESE.)
A Tom-cat was boasting everywhere, that the lion, whom he had visited during an illness, had received him as a relation.
"And had he no favour to ask of you?" inquired the cunning fox.
"Well, yes," replied Master Tom; " a rat, which had made its way into his den, continually disturbed the invalid's rest, on which account he begged me to put an end to the tormentor."
"I thought as much directly," answered Reynard, "for the condescension of the great is seldom above suspicion, and generally shows that they stand in some need of us."

-- From Hungarian poems and fables for English readers, selected and tr. by E.D. Butler (London: Trubner and Co., 1877) pp. 59-61.