have come upon me in succession, and I have no resort but to my ingenuity and sense. I should not fall into confusion

and be disheartened; Mc18 17 the sensible man does not lose judgment and his intelligence does not abandon him,

whatever the circumstance. Mc19 18 for the minds of the wise are like the sea whose depth cannot be reached, Mc20 19 and trouble

does not so much affect a level-headed man as to stupefy his mind and cause him to perish. Mc21 20 I see no better strategy than for me to seek reconciliation with the cat,

5 for he has been beset by a harmful affair, and I might be able set him free. If he listens to what I’m going to say to him, in words that

are genuine and without deceit, he would understand me and would desire [[my amity]] my help, and this could be, for me and him,

the rescue.’ Mc22 21 “And so the rat approached the cat and said, ‘How are you?’ Mc23 22 The cat said,

‘As you can see and would fancy—in dire straits.’ Mc25 23 ‘I wouldn’t dupe you,’ said the rat, ‘for I swear that I used to find delight in that

and everything that used to sadden you, and I used to view that which constrained you as comforting to me. However, I have now joined you in trouble, and

10 I can only hope to be delivered through hoping the same for you, for this has made me feel compassion toward you. Mc26 24 You will know

that my words are neither false nor scheming or deceitful, for you can see where the mongoose is lying in ambush

for me, and the owl wants to snatch me, and both, to you and me, are enemies. They, however, fear and avoid you. So, if

you provide to secure me as I approach you—thus saving myself from them—to cut your bonds and deliver

you from what you are in, I would do so. Mc27 25 No one is farther from the good than two whose situation is the same,

15 their quality is different, and one is distrustful and the other cannot be trusted. Mc28 26 I will fulfill my commitment

to you. So do accept my proposal and be open to me; and make haste in that, Mc29 27 for the sensible man does not postpone his action. Mc30 28 And let yourself be pleased by

my survival as I will be pleased by yours, Mc31 29 for each one of us will be saved by the other, as with a ship