Puck, 1877-10-31 · page 5 of 16
Puck — October 31, 1877 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page presents a humorous narrative about miscommunication between an owl, a cat, and a mouse. The owl mistakes a cat for a mouse, the cat mistakes a bird for a mouse, and both predators end up fighting each other instead of catching their intended prey. The satire appears to be social commentary on mutual misunderstanding and mistaken identity leading to conflict. The animals' dialogue emphasizes how each creature operates from false assumptions—the owl says "I'll go for that bird," the cat responds "I'm after that mouse," and their fight ensues. The final panel suggests that such misunderstandings, while resolving nothing ("the kind wan't right"), at least exhaust everyone equally. This likely critiques how human conflicts often stem from similar failures of perception and communication.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
PUCK. A MISUNDERSTANDING. A Thomas cat on that break of day, Hungry as ever a cat could be, Prowling around in a gingerly way, Came to the foot of that tall bellfree— Prowling all night, But never a bite. A WUNGRY owl on a belfry tower Sat blinking grave at the rising sun: “It’s a shame.” he said, “at this early hour, For the sun to get up, and nothing done— Watching all night, And never a bit ty As both were blind in that morning sun, Neither the other could plainly see ++ Pst, pst,” hisses the cat, Kihoot ” said the owl, As they clawed for each other quite savagelee, And with all their might Tried each other to bite. +1 go for that bird,” said the Tom cat soft; 'm after that mouse,” said the owl, down there.” ‘The owl went down and the cat aloft, And they met half-way on the belfry stair— Waiting all night, Now surely a bite. “+ What's that up there on top of the house ? It looks like a bird,” said the Thomas cat. + Something below moves like a mouse,” Said the owl, «It's breakfast; hurrah for that, Waiting all night, But at last a bite.” “This seems,” said the owl, ‘¢ some horrid mistake;” “+ You misunderstood,” said the cat, with a frown; ** Let's both an apology formally make.” ‘Then the owl he went up and the cat went down— Each got a bite, , But thé kind wasn’t right. PIB. Frantic and fierce was the conflict, too, Fearful the scratches and hoots of pain, Till the owl to a lofty beam suddenly flew, Leaving the Tom cat scratching in vain— A terrible fight, Bat both got a bite.