Fourth Citizen. When I was cooking dinner the bold rats licked the soup from my ladle!
Fifth Citizen. They are so bold they are always fighting with the dogs and cats!
Sixth Citizen. Yes, and they kill them, too!
Seventh Citizen. My baby cried in his sleep, and when I went to him there was a big rat in his cradle.
Eighth Citizen. What are you going to do about it, Mr. Mayor?
Ninth Citizen. You'd better wake up, sirs! Don't go to sleep over this!
Tenth Citizen. I tell you, you'll have to do something to save us from this army of rats!
First Councilman. What can we do?
Second Councilman. I'm sure we've tried everything, but every day the rats grow worse and worse.
Third Councilman. I'm sure it isn't very pleasant for us to have the city overrun with the creatures!
Mayor. I'd sell my ermine gown for a guilder! It is no easy thing to be mayor and I wish I was a plowboy in the country! Try to think of something to do.
First Councilman. It is easy to bid us rack our own brains!
Second Councilman. I'm sure my head aches trying to think.
Third Councilman. I've wondered and thought, till I've no thoughts left.
Mayor. Oh! if I only had a great big trap! Yes, a thousand big traps!
Bless us, what noise is that? Is it a rat? Come in!