The cats are engaged in a very practical activity: "Five cats went to the forest to cut firewood. They cut and cut, but ended up with nothing. Tails raised they came back home. They came back home and looked around, but there was really no firewood at all.

They went to the forest again and came back with a log each; one log was short, another small, the third was neither. Finally, all five of them started the fire, made some porridge and devoured it greedily. They ate so much that they could hardly walk and decided to just go to sleep. Let's go and look whether they may be still asleep.

The Latvian children's book writer Vilma Delle (1892-1980) turned this fairy tale into sweet and slightly comical verse.

"Five cats once had a thought:
A pot of porridge would be good.
We've got milk, a pot's been bought- Just have to cut some firewood."

After all their trouble getting the firewood, they get their reward, for, according to folk wisdom, one's well-being is based on using one's smarts, resourcefulness and diligence:

"Presently they cooked their meal,
There was food enough for all:
They ate and ate with so much zeal
That their bellies looked like balls."