There were two rats with rough tails,
Ruschimuschikuschifidibum!
Together they wanted to attend the dance at the parish fair,
Ruschimuschikuschifidibum!
They put on their Sunday best
And looked forward to a rich wallowing;
They thought that no one would recognize them,
And each thought he looked finer than the other.

They crept into the straw on the farmer’s wagon,
Ruschimuschikuschifidibum!
And without paying a cent they rode to the parish fair,
Ruschimuschikuschifidibum!
And when the farmer halted at the tavern,
The music had already started in the hall,
They clambered from the wagon
And curled their beards.

The bagpipes and the string drum rang out,
Ruschimuschikuschifidibum!
The first string of the fiddler snapped,
Ruschimuschikuschifidibum!
The rats were highly honoured there
But would rather have turned around and gone home,
They simply could not accustom themselves
To all the buzzing and droning.

Then they themselves began to dance,
Ruschimuschikuschifidibum!
One as a woman, the other as a man,
Ruschimuschikuschifidibum!
Suddenly in the middle of the dance someone said:
Hey, that looks like a rat’s tail,
Call the innkeeper,
He has a black tomcat.

The tomcat leapt: now you shall get your just deserts!
Ruschimuschikuschifidibum!
Heaven help us!  Mr. Cat, we’re already leaving!
Ruschimuschikuschifidibum!
But the tomcat bit down twice,
Then the rats were done with dancing;
By their tails they were hung
Above the stable door as a decoration.