The Bug's Tale

A bug upon a green leaf sat Cautiously eyeing up a cat Who, unaware of the bug's intentions Continued with its cruel conventions: Of catching a mouse then setting it free Then leaping up it once more with glee Until the terrified rodent gave up and died Whereupon the cat just sighed At which moment the bug took his chance To lead the cat in a merry dance With a graceful leap, far and clear, He jumped straight into the cat's ear And settled himself into the warmth right there Amongst the wax and sensitive hair. Caught on the hop and by complete surprise You should have that wicked cat's eyes At the realisation he'd been violated By one of the smallest creatures ever created. Not that it mattered, be it big or small, That cat didn't want it there at all Deep in the cat's ear the bug was secure Meaning that the cat would have to endure The bug living off him as a parasite The cat thought it just was not right It was bad enough that ticks and fleas Thought it was okay to do as they please And use his flesh as a dining table But at least with those pests he was able To be rid of them with human intervention But the bug in his ear defied all convention It was something of a new experience For a bug to take-up residence With so much ease and with great success It was causing the feline some distress No matter how hard he shook his head The annoying bug seemed to embed Itself more securely in the desperate cat's ear The half-crazed cat's cries were so sad to hear. He whined and cried and pleaded in frustration At his owner's ignorance of his situation. The bug, ensconced in warmth and safety Was as comfortable as a bug could be Given the cat's efforts to evict him An outcome that would surely be grim Should the cat chance upon the defenceless insect It was a scenario far too gruesome to project However, the bug knew it was time to move on But he had a point to make before he was gone He said aloud in that cat's ear passage "I am now about to assuage The suffering you've endured all these hours. I have demonstrated my limited powers To show you how easy it is to be taunted By a creature much less vaunted In the kingdom of the animal But you see how easily and quickly you fall When your powers are effectively negated By a tiny insect usually relegated To the rank of parasite or pest A neccessary annoyance at best But you'll be having nightmares tonight Of how easily I undermined your might And drove you to the brink of insanity Some might even call it cruelty To behave towards you in that way So this is what I have to say: I saw you tease and terrify that little mouse, The one you found hiding in your house You thought that you were lord and master As that terrified creature tried to run faster To evade your evil, cruel and nasty ways Before you brought an end to its happy days By way of abject fear and complete misery Well, you now know, thanks to me, What that mouse suffered at your paws And your nasty sharpened claws. I don't have those weapons to call upon To use to do what I want to get done But I have my size, which you should fear As I sit comfortably within your ear For I'm telling you now, change your behaviour And during this respite, remember and savour For if you refuse to change your ways Next time I visit it'll be for days and days I know you won't want that, me in your head You'll wish, I'm sure you, that were deaf or dead I hope today a lesson had been learned And a little respect has been earned. I'm leaving now, but I'll always be near To whisper reminders in your ear Of the sincere vow that I have sworn Change now or regret the day you were born!" With that the bug left his host, sore ear stinging And with the bug’s threats and words still ringing The cat scampered away, somewhat subdued While the tired bug went in search of food. Pleased with what he had achieved And just a little bit relieved That things had turned out as they had It could so easily have all turned bad. There is only one more thing left to say: Did that cat ever change his way? (That’s another poem for another day!)