Who is to bell the cat

In a grocer’s shop there lived many mice. There was plenty of food for them in the shop. They are grains and dry fruits, bread and biscuits, jam and cheese. 

The grocer suffered heavy losses because of the mice. He said to himself, “I must do something to get rid of the mice of some day they will be the end of me.” One day the grocer brought a big, fat cat to the shop. Now the mice could not move about freely. 

Every day the cat would catch and kill some of them. The mice were worried. They held a meeting. All of them said, “We must get rid of the cat somehow.” But what could they do? They had no answer. Then a smart looking mouse stood up and said, “The cat moves very softly and swiftly. She takes us unaware. 

We must tie a bell round her neck.” Another mouse suggested him, “The bell will ring, when the cat moves. So it will be possible for us to keep at a safe distance from her.” All the mice welcomed the suggestion with a loud cry of ‘Hurrah! Then an old mouse stood up and said, “Stop this rejoicing. Can you tell me who will bell the cat?” And all of them were quiet. They had no answer.