How to Save Your Tail* *if You Are a Rat Nabbed by Cats Who Really Like Stories About Magic Spoons, Wolves With Snout-warts, Big, Hairy Chimney Trolls . . . And Cookies, Too

Once Upon a Time Once upon a time, in a grand castle, there lived a rat named Bob, who was fond of baking and wild about reading. Now, baking can be dangerous for a rat. Paws get burned and tails get caught in eggbeaters all the time. But it was his love of books that almost killed Bob. The trouble tiptoed up on him one afternoon, while his cookies were browning in the oven. As Bob sunned himself on the kitchen porch, he watched a bee flit about the garden, from rose to rose and lily to lily, landing at last on the garden benchright next to a book. The rat sat up, tail twitching and whiskers whisking. Was it a new book? Or was it one of his favorites that he had read a hundred times? Either way, Bob was happier than a pig in a puddle. He had to have it. Quick as a wink, he leapt from the porch to the path. He was so anxious to devour the words that he never saw the Queen's cats in the rosebushes, waiting to devour him. VOOOMP! Something had grabbed himsomething with sharp claws and bad breath. Bob smelled a cat. It was all over but the chewing. He opened one eye and saw the orange stripes and treacherous teeth of . . . Brutus. Then Muffin pounced into view. She was huge, fluffy, and white as bones, except for her chin, which was stained with the blood of her last meala mouse, perhaps. Or a small bear. "Head or tail?" asked Brutus. "Head," said Muffin. "I had the tail last time." "Okay. Grab on. When I count three, pull!" Muffin grabbed. Bob squirmed. Brutus, just before counting, sniffed. "Hey!" he said. "What's that smell?" "Coofies?" guessed Muffin, talking with her mouth full. "Butter cookies," said the rat. He tried to sound as casual as possible, in spite of his delicate position. "Where?" asked Brutus. "In the oven," squeaked the rat. "I'm testing a new recipe: double butter with cream cheese filling and a sinful blend of spice and sugar." The cats drooled. "I'd hate for them to burn," added Bob. "Me too," said Muffin, dropping the rat with a thunk. "Okay, Mack," said Brutus, letting go of Bob's tail. "Get them out. But don't try anything funny." "Yes, sir," said Bob. "Butbut" "But what?" "My name's not Mack, sir." "It is now," said Brutus. "Go!" So BobMack to the catswobbled to his feet, shook off the cat slobber, and scurried into the kitchen. The cats tailed him. The kitchen was hot. The cats were hungry. And Bobaka Mackwas quick. He poured two saucers of milk and served the cookies, warm from the oven, on the Queen's finest china. He held his breath as the cats tasted. "Yum," said Muffin. "Not bad," said Brutus. "Do you really think so?" asked Bob. "My great-great-grandfather's were betterbefore he lost his spoon." "His spoon?" asked Brutus. "His magic spoon," said Bob. "But that's another story." "Do tell, Mack!" said Muffin. "No way," said Brutus. "It's time for the main course." He snatched the rat up by the scruffHanson, Mary is the author of 'How to Save Your Tail* *if You Are a Rat Nabbed by Cats Who Really Like Stories About Magic Spoons, Wolves With Snout-warts, Big, Hairy Chimney Trolls . . . And Cookies, Too', published 2007 under ISBN 9780375837555 and ISBN 0375837558.