TEACHER POLECAT AND THE CAT

       Once upon a time an old polecat was sitting on a crooked stump scratching her head with her right paw, passionately explaining hunting tricks, animal behaviour and the ways of the world to a slightly thick cat.

       “When you see a rat that has stuck its little snout out of its hole, don’t rush straight at him: wait and give him time to come out completely. When he is out, you’ll see him there, all nice and ready to be eaten.

       You must read his next move, then rush towards his hole so that he can’t dive back in…”

      Then the polecat would tell all the stories about the past, what to do, and how if she was born again, she would do this and that…” If I were born again…but we can’t! We can’t be! And it’s quite right too! And… to tell you the truth, I didn’t have a happy childhood you know…”

       Teacher polecat had taught the cat a lot of tricks. The cat would often let her mind wander, but would also learn a bit. In the end the Student cat became tired of always being stuck in that same place, and suggested that they go and sit together on the rocks by the stream.

       “Whaaat?”

       “The stream! Where the water flows rapidly…”

       “Can’t you see that I’m old and… and…how can I go there with these old paws of mine? These old paws no longer bear the weight of my body. But, of course you don’t know this.

       Rather, listen to the lesson and don’t let your mind wander. Listen, so…” And this, and that…

       Suddenly a half-witted hunter jumped out of a bush and wildly fired three and five and seven gunshots at the polecat and the cat. The poor creatures fled, and it was a miracle that they managed to save their hides.

       “See, Auntie polecat, if you had listened to me, we would have avoided that ordeal! We almost died riddled with lead! You tell me to do this and that, and that you know, know and know! What do you know? We almost died right here!”

       “We didn’t die here, but we could have been killed out there by the stream… and another thing my dear cat niece! I know what has been, not what comes later. That’s the way it is, damn it!…if it wasn’t, we would already know everything about life and the free and happy world…no longer about conspiracies and despair…damn it! Come, come, and don’t let your mind wander- Let’s get on with the lesson now…”