In this classic folk tale, three little kittens lose their mittens, soil their mittens, wash their mittens, much drama and crying.  The illustrations are beautiful and clean and crisp.  This is a popular nursery rhyme for children and they need to hear the repetition of verse. However, it ends so abruptly, with …’we smell a rat nearby.”  What has that got to do with mittens, or the story for that matter?  Is it that they are supposed to catch the rat?  I don’t really get it.