Samuil Marshak
Two Cats

2 cats? —
Why! that's
8 paws,
2 tails and
40 claws.

2 pets that purr? 2 balls of fur?
Yes — till trouble started.
Soon they were one single blur;
None could get them parted.

Furry furies, equal-matched,
How they clawed and hit and scratched!

Neither cat would cry "Enough!"
What was left? — 2 specks of flulf!

So you see, my dear young friends,
How all catty squabbling ends!

Translated by Margaret Wettlin