There were many stories circulating among the Byzantines on the traditionally tense relations between mice and cats. Elaiopotis (Oil Drinker) was a canning mouse who was very fond of human meals. Unfortunately, as he was about to enjoy the leftovers from a plate of crane and mullet, he was caught by a cat. The mouse pretended to be an important abbot and the cat, who was not very hungry, engaged him in conversation. Eventually, though the cat had enough and announced his verdict; if the mouse wore the abbot garb he would have spared him, but now his mouth would become the tomb of poor Elaiopotis.