The mouse ran up the clock
To find a bit of cheese
And lo, was a cat
Munching there with groups of fleas
cried Pierre, a mouse has climbed the mountain.
Oh, flea, said the cat, this is of course a tree.

What! This is no tree!
said the mouse, this is a clock.
Not a bit of it, said Francisco, this is a mountain.
It is not so, I would stake on this point my cheese.
exclaimed the fleas.
Yes, of course, said the cat.

My dear sirs, allow me to observe there is no cheese hereabout, as suggests the cat.
And this, put in the mouse, is by no means any tree.
replied the fleas.
grudgingly said the cat, perhaps then a clock?
This is not helping me find my cheese.
Dash it all, roared Pierre, this is a mountain.

Nay, Nay, cried all, this is no mountain!
This is not as we have just judged, Pierre spake the cat.
sighed the mouse, when will we come to my cheese?
Who was it that said we stand on a tree?
Man, wake up, hissed the cat, we are on a clock!
Men we are not! screamed the fleas.

Calm yourselves my friendly fleas.
Francisco, this is a mountain!
My dear flea, said Francisco, they have said it is a clock.
Oh, what can they know about it, replied Pierre, especially that cat!
Yet we all agree this is no tree?
Oh, but for a bit of cheese.

What, my dear mouse, is your eternal obsession with cheese?
sighed all the fleas.
Oh, if this was but a tree.
My dear mouse, how would that help you find cheese and, by the way, this is no mountain!
Oh, how we wish you would be quiet, cat!
Of course, exclaimed the cat, so long as we all realize this is a clock.

cried the mouse and ran down the clock, happily with his wonderful cheese.
laughed the cat, spitting on the fleas.
realized Pierre, this is neither mountain nor tree!