Life, 1886-01-07 · page 12 of 16
Life — January 7, 1886 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "The Cat and the Can" - Life Magazine Fable This is a moral fable using animal characters to teach a lesson about overconfidence. A clever cat tricks a naive boy into tying a can of milk to his tail. The cat boasts about his superior intelligence and cunningness, convinced he's outwitted the boy and earned an easy reward. When he opens the can in the woods, he discovers it contains mustard, not milk—his scheme backfires. The **moral** explicitly states the lesson: don't celebrate prematurely, and don't rely on daydreams and fantasies. The references to "Aluascar and Malvolio" (literary characters known for foolish pride) reinforce that the tale warns against arrogance and false confidence. The page also includes other brief humorous items typical of *Life* magazine's satirical miscellany—wordplay, jokes about children, and social commentary.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
AS old Cat, famous for his Bohemian habits and philoso- phical turn of mind, met a small Boy and said to “Little Boy, did you ever tie a tin can to a Dog's tail ?” “Yes, I've done it often,” replied the Boy. “ Well, I know a better way than that to have fun.” “What is it?” “ Just tie a can of milk to a Cat's tail.” “Will I make the Cat run?” “Yes, indeed! It’s the funniest thing in the world. If you were to tie a can of milk to my tail I'd nearly kill myself running.” “May IL try it? “Yes, if you'll stop the can up tight.” 4 The Boy went to work at once and the can was soon se- curely tied. Then, with a sudden jump, the Cat started down the road like a cyclone, a Salvation Army, an earthquake and a freight train, all rolled up into a grand combination. When the careering animal 9 had reached a sequestered place in the woods, he paused and soliloquized somewhat as follows : “It's a lucky thing for creatures of brilliant talents like myself that there are so many fools in the world, for, if it were otherwise, you would see the most gifted animals starving every day. Now, for instance, if that silly Boy had just one-half of my shrewdness and ingenuity I never could have gotten this can of nice milk with so much ease. Moreover, I ‘ve gotten this prize honestly, for it is simply the tribute that genius exacts of medi- ocrity all over the world. There is nothing on earth like solid brain power. It's a tempting subject, and I could spin out a fine essay on it, but I must forebear. I must try this milk. I am tired as thunder dragging that heavy can, and my tail feels as if it had been unscrewed just back of my ears.” With these words the Cat impatiently opened the can and found that it was filled with mustard instead of milk. MoRAL: This Fable illustrates the imprudence of premature rejoicing, and teaches that all the pretty (G) day-dreams and illusive fantasies did not pass away with Aluascar and Malvolio. wrens: 'S the difference between the small boy on a | THE REWARD OF VIRTUE. double-runner and a butcher? One’s a steerer of sleighs, and the other's a —— Set ‘em up, please. HERE was a young druggist named Abel, | Who forget to stick on the label ; It was poison within, A GIRL OF SIX ON POLITENESS—“ To all women say | But was taken for gin. “Yes, mam,’ to all men say ‘ No, sir.’" | He died at the end of a cable. THE LEAST PALATABLE FEAST ON RECORD—The Diet JOHN WISE announces that he is out of politics. of Worms information is rather stale and superfluous. comicbooks.com