As swift as a bullet that 's shot from a gun! "Meow! Oh, meow "our poor Puss did say; "Bow-wow!" cried the dog, who was not far away. O'er meadows and ditches they scampered apace, O'er fences and hedges they kept up the race! Then Pussy-cat Mew saw before her a tree, And knew that a safe place of refuge 't would be; So far up the tree with a bound she did go, And left the big dog to growl down below. But now, by good fortune, a man came that way, And called to the dog, who was forced to obey; But Puss did not come down the tree till she knew That the man and the dog were far out of view. Pursuing her way, at nightfall she came To London, a town you know well by name; And wandering 'round in byway and street, A strange Pussy-cat she happened to meet. "Good evening," said Pussy-cat Mew. "Can you tell In which of these houses the Queen may now dwell? I 'm a stranger in town, and I 'm anxious to see What sort of a person a real Queen may be." "My friend," said the other, "you really must know It is n't permitted that strangers should go Inside of the palace, unless they 're invited, And stray Pussy-cats are apt to be slighted. "By good luck, however, I 'm quite well aware Of a way to the palace by means of a stair That never is guarded; so just come with me, And a glimpse of the Queen you shall certainly see." Puss thanked her new friend, and together they stole To the back of the palace, and crept through a hole In the fence, and quietly came to the stair Which the stranger Pussy-cat promised was there. "Now here I must leave you," the strange Pussy said, "So do n't be 'fraid-cat, but go straight ahead, And do n't be alarmed if by chance you are seen, For people will think you belong to the Queen." So Pussy-cat Mew did as she had been told, And walked through the palace with manner so bold She soon reached the room where the Queen sat in state, Surrounded by lords and by ladies so great.