Fleet Cat, Don't You Know? (Children's Rhyme)

Sung to an ancient folk tune...

Art by Alana Fletcher.

"Fleet Cat, Don't You Know?" (Children's Rhyme)

Fleet cat, fleet cat don't you know
There's a whole entire world for you to roam
But you stalk around the gutter
From the Notch up to the Runner
And the rats fleeing before you are too slow

Sly cat, sly cat don’t you see
Your clowder taking part in all your glee
You’ll all rise and as you’re rising
You will hide the tax man’s tithings
And you’ll sleep without the bite of any flea

Fleet cat, don’t you know? Art by Robert Frankel.

Fat cat, fat cat don't you hear
The glaring of your Guild is drawing near
They will ask and then they'll borrow
Then they'll snatch and then they'll snarl
And won't quit until the threat of claw is clear
 
Scared cat, scared cat don't you feel
The fingers tightening around your heel
So you shed all of your furs and
Fill the lining of your purse and
Tell the Amalguard you want to make a deal
 
Fleet rat, fleet rat how you know
The whole entire world would keep you low
Now you slink around the gutter
From the Notch down to the Runner
And the cats chasing after you are too slow

— Author Unknown