"Maybe not; maybe not," returned Mother Graymouse. "But I mistrust
all the other Giants. So take care, my dears.

"An enemy is anything that will harm us. Traps are our enemies. Some
traps look like wire cages with a nice smelly bit of toasted cheese
inside. But the silly mouse who enters the cage will only be let out
when there is a cruel cat waiting outside to pounce upon him. There
are many kinds of traps, but they are all wicked enemies. So beware,
my dears.

"Cats are our enemies. You have all seen that cruel old Thomas Cat,
the black imp, with brass eyes that shine in the dark like automobile
lamps. His teeth are sharp and strong; his claws are like ugly
needles. Never take any chances when he is around, my dears.

"The Giants are our worst enemies. They set the traps to catch us;
they keep the cat to eat us. Often they try to poison us. That is the
reason, Silvy, why you must never eat Ruth Giant's cake until I have
seen it.

"Your poor Daddy ate a cracker one day, which was spread with salmon
and rat poison. It was the cause of his untimely death. 'Water,
water, water!' he moaned. Oh, I shall never forget how he suffered! I
helped him down to the pond and found a hole in the ice where he
could get water. But he grew worse as soon as he drank. Poor Daddy!
And so he died out there in the cold winter weather. Sniff! Sniff!
This has been a painful task, but you must remember every word I've
spoken this morning. Now for our review lesson."

"E--n--e--m--y, enemy," she spelled.