" have you come , my boy ? " said the rat . " i must thank you for coming to visit me : i have been expecting you for a long time . i am sure you have come to win me , and i can well imagine that you are in a great hurry . but you must have a little patience . i am to receive a large dower , and am not yet ready for the wedding . i will do my best to see that we are married soon . " when she had said this , she produced a couple of egg - shells , with all sorts of eatables such as rats eat . she set them down before the youth , and said : " now you must sit down and help yourself , for i am sure you are tired and hungry . " the youth had no great appetite for this food . " if i were only away and up above again , " thought he , but he said nothing . " now i think you must surely want to get home again , " said the rat . " i am well aware that you are waiting impatiently for the wedding , and i will hurry all i can . take this linen thread along , and when you get up above , you must not turn around , but must go straight home , and as you go you must keep repeating : ' short before and long behind ! ' " and with that she laid a linen thread in his hand . " heaven be praised ! " said the youth when he was up above once more . " i 'll not go down there again in a hurry . " but he held the thread in his hand , and danced and sang as usual . and although he no longer had the rat - hole in mind , he began to hum : " short before and long behind ! short before and long behind ! " 
it was rat food .
why did the youth have no great appetite for the food ?
why did the youth have no great appetite for the food ?