The Mouse and The Sausage Fable

The mouse, the sausage and the bird fairy tale drawing by Walter Crane

        Once upon a time a little mouse and a little sausage, whom loved each other like sisters, decided to live together. They made their arrangements in such a way that every day one would go to walk in the fields, or make purchases in town, while the other remained at home to keep the house. One day, when the little sausage had prepared cabbage for dinner, the little mouse, who had come back from town with a fine appetite, enjoyed it so greatly that she exclaimed: 

       "How delicious the cabbage is today, my dear !" 

       "Ah! " answered the little sausage "that is because I popped myself into the pot while it was cooking." 

       On the next day, as it was her turn to prepare the meals, the little mouse said to herself: "Now I will do as much for my friend as she did for me; we will have lentils for dinner, and I will jump into the pot while they are boiling," and she let the action follow the word, without reflecting that a simple sausage can do some things which are out of the reach of even the wisest mouse. 

       When the sausage came home, she found the house lonely and silent. She called again and again, "My little mouse! Mouse of my heart! " but no one answered. Then she went to look at the lentils boiling on the stove, and, alas ! found within the pot her good little friend, who had perished at the post of duty. 

      Poor mousie, with the best intentions in the world, had stayed too long at her cookery, and when she desired to climb out of the pot, had no longer the strength to do so. And the poor sausage could never be consoled!

        That is why today, when you put a sausage in the pan or on the gridiron, you will hear her weep and sigh, "M-my p-poor m-mouse ! Ah, m-my p-poor m-mouse!"

• Cute kids listen to their sausages scream and dance here...
• The Mouse, the Bird, and the Sausage song!
• The Frog, the Mouse and the Sausage tale, a Hungarian Folk Tale

The Taming of Mrs. Teeny Mouse

"And before you go put a pillow to
my back."

       This is the story of Mr. and Mrs. Teeny Mouse who lived in a cozy little house on the edge of a cornfield. Now Mr. Teeny Mouse was the best mouse you ever saw, always bringing home good things to eat and doing everything he could to make Mrs. Teeny Mouse happy. But Mrs. Teeny Mouse was quite different. She never thought of any one's comfort but her own, and she was very, very lazy. 

       One morning, before she was out of bed, she said to Mr. Teeny Mouse: 

       "My dear, I wish you would go and get me some tidbits." 

       "Tidbits?" asked Mr. Teeny Mouse, turning from the mirror where he was combing his whiskers. "What are tidbits, my dear?" 

       "A delightful combination of cheese and crackers," replied Mrs. Teeny Mouse. "And before you go, put a pillow to my back, and pass me my book and spectacles." 

       Mr. Teeny Mouse, who was very obliging, put the pillow to Mrs. Teeny Mouse's back, gave her the book and spectacles, and then he said: 

       "My dear, I really have no idea where these tidbits can be found. But I do know where I can get some delicious crumbly crackers, and some very tasty cheese. Now won't they do just as well as the tidbits?"

       "Teeny Mouse," said Mrs. Teeny Mouse most severely, "what I want, I want. Neither the crumbly crackers nor the tasty cheese appeal to me in the least. I want the tidbits. Nothing more, nothing less. Be off with you, and bring back the tidbits." 

       "My dear," said Mr. Teeny Mouse, "it is a pleasure to go in search of these choice morsels for you, but now I am going to ask you to do something for me."

        "What is it, Teeny Mouse?" asked Mrs. Teeny Mouse with a yawn.

       "I want you to get up and dress, and make the bed, and tidy the house before I return," said Mr. Teeny Mouse in his meek little way. 

       "To be sure I will when I feel like it," tartly returned Mrs. Teeny Mouse. 

       "But, my dear, I wish you would promise me that you will get up and dress, and make the bed, and tidy the house," gently begged Mr. Teeny Mouse. 

       "Oh, I'll see," said Mrs. Teeny Mouse, picking up her book and proceeding to read. "Be sure to bring the tidbits, Teeny Mouse.'' 

       "I shall do my best, my dear," said Mr. Teeny Mouse as he picked up his cap and knapsack, "and you be sure to get up and do as I ask." 

       "Oh, be off with you, Teeny Mouse," cried Mrs. Teeny Mouse in a peevish voice. 

       Mr. Teeny Mouse closed the door and started off in search of the tidbits, and he had quite an exciting adventure as you will read. 

       He skipped across the cornfield, straight to the farmer's cottage where he was accustomed to get his provisions. He went at once to the pantry, because there is really no place like a pantry to find all kinds of goodies.  Then he smelled cheese. He scurried over cups and saucers, tea canisters, cans, and boxes, and dear knows what all, but he could not find the tidbits.

        He found the crumbly crackers on a plate and put a few crumbs in his knapsack. He also came across a nut which he dropped into the knapsack. Then he sniffed cheese; it was the tasty kind. He was pretty certain of that. But. what horrible luck! The cheese was attached to one of those miserable mouse-traps! He saw just in the nick of time. Then he thought he would leave the pantry and look elsewhere, and so he went on into the kitchen. 

       As there were footsteps in the kitchen, he was obliged to hide behind a broom for several seconds. When he came out a big black cat darted from behind the stove. Poor Mr. Teeny Mouse really thought his time had come, but at that moment the pot boiled over and splashed on the cat, and as the cat jumped out of the window!

        Mr. Teeny Mouse scurried off to the dining room. He ran to the sideboard, where he found the bottom door ajar, and he went inside. The delicious odor of cheese came to his nostrils. He hoped it was not on one of those horrid mouse-traps. It wasn't. The odor came from a small box, which he proceeded to gnaw until he made a hole. Then he drew out a funny cracker and nibbled on the end. As it was both cheese and cracker, he thought it must be the tidbit. He helped himself, and when he could not eat another crumb he stuffed several into his knapsack, and concluded he would start for home. 

       It took a great deal of courage to pass through the kitchen again, and you may be sure, when he finally was outdoors, he lost no time running from the garden across the cornfield to his own little house. 

       "Ah," thought Mr. Teeny Mouse, as he stopped at the door to get his breath, "how happy Mrs. Teeny Mouse will be. Not only have I procured provisions for many days to come, but I have in my knapsack the delicious tidbits she craved!" 

       He went inside, expecting to see everything neat and tidy and Mrs. Teeny Mouse ready to greet him. But, alas! the house was still in the greatest disorder, and Mrs. Teeny Mouse was in bed fast asleep.

        Mr. Teeny Mouse was dreadfully provoked. "I am too good to Mrs. Teeny Mouse," he said. "Here I have risked my life to obtain tid-bits for her, and she is too lazy to get up and put our house in order. I shall teach her a lesson." 

       Forthwith he stamped over to the bed and gave Mrs. Teeny Mouse a shake. "Shame on you!" he cried.. "Get out of bed at once, and tidy up this house, and get my dinner. No more of this will I have! Get up at once!" 

       Now Mrs. Teeny Mouse was used to such a gentle Mr. Teeny Mouse that she was really quite bewildered for a moment. She sat up in bed, and rubbed her eyes, and then she said: "Oh, the tidbits! Did you bring the tidbits, Teeny Mouse?" 

       Mr. Teeny Mouse scowled at Mrs. Teeny Mouse. He said: "Out of bed, and do as I tell you, Mrs. Teeny Mouse!" 

       Mrs. Teeny Mouse gave Mr. Teeny Mouse a sidelong glance. He looked very angry, and never before had he spoken in such a cross way. 

       "Hurry!" commanded Mr. Teeny Mouse. "Hurry!" commanded Mr. Teeny Mouse, folding his arms across his breast. "And do not talk back to me."

       Then Mrs. Teeny Mouse, who had bossed Mr. Teeny Mouse all of her life, suddenly became very meek, and she hopped out of bed, and said: "Yes, my dear. In a minute, my dear. You take a stroll in the garden, and I will call you, my dear, when everything is ready." 

       Oh, my! how Mrs. Teeny Mouse worked. She shook the rugs, and swept the hearth, and made the bed, and set the table. Then she raised the window and rang the bell. When Mr. Teeny Mouse came in she was weeping. Whereupon Mr. Teeny Mouse patted her shoulder and said: "My dear, it grieved me to be cross with you. But, on the other hand, you cannot expect me to do things for you unless you are willing to do things for me." 

       "I shall be quite different in the future, Teeny Mouse," murmured Mrs. Teeny Mouse in a penitent voice. "I admit I have not been what I should have been." 

       "Let bygones be bygones," said Mr. Teeny Mouse, who was very forgiving. Then he opened his knapsack and drew out the tidbits. "Teeny Mouse!" exclaimed Mrs. Teeny Mouse. "Oh, you dear Teeny Mouse, how can I ever thank you?"

       "Don't mention it, my dear," said Mr. Teeny Mouse with a wave of his hand. And after that the Teeny Mice were the happiest little pair you ever saw. This just goes to show you really can't expect others to do things for you unless you are willing to do things for them. Linda Stevens Almond. 

The Lonely White Mouse

Father mouse watches his eight children play.

       Once upon a time there were ten little gray mice-a father, a mother, and  eight  children.  They lived in the cellar under the house. And what good times they had playing Farmer in the Dell together at night on top of the tool box! 

The nice lady made the white
mouse a grey suit to play in.

       Upstairs in the house lived a little. white mouse. He was lonely because he had no one to play with. He belonged to a nice lady who kept him snowy clean and brushed his hair every morning. But that did not make him happy. He was the loneliest mouse in the world. 

       Sometimes at night he would creep down in the cellar and watch the little gray mice playing Tag in and out among the paint cans. But they did not ask him to play with them. And so he would come creeping back in the morning feeling even more lonely than before. 

       One night he caught a little gray mouse by his tail and held him and said to him, "Why don't you ever ask me to play?" 

       "Would you like to play?" asked the gray mouse in surprise. "We thought you were afraid that you would get your white fur dirty." 

       The white mouse looked sadly at his beautiful fur and said, "Must I always be lonely just because I am white?" 

       The gray mouse felt sorry for the white mouse. "Perhaps the lady would make you a gray suit to play in," he said. "Then you would be gray like the rest of us."

       "Just the thing!" said the white mouse, and he went scuttling upstairs to ask the lady. 

       The lady said, "Oh, yes! I will be glad to make you a suit!" She liked to sew doll clothes, but she had never thought of sewing mouse clothes. She made him the cunningest little gray suit that you could imagine! 

       After that the white mouse went down in the cellar every night. And what fun he had playing Follow the Leader with the gray mice in the coal bin! Of course, his face and hands were very dirty every morning. But they were easy to wash, you know. 

       The little white mouse was never lonely any more. by Marion LeBron.

Johnny Mouse and The Wishing Stick

Johnny Mouse scolds the Woozgoozle for eating baby chics.

        Johnny Mouse was a cute, little tiny mouse. He lived with Gran’ma and Gran’pa Mouse in a little cigar-box house. In the little cigar-box house there was a tiny little kitchen where Gran’ma Mouse cooked nice things for Gran’pa and Johnny Mouse. Gran’ma and Gran’pa and Johnny Mouse also ate in the kitchen at a tiny table, for the little cigar-box house did not have a dining-room. 

        Then there was a bedroom and a living-room in the tiny cigar-box house. The bedroom was where Gran’ma and Gran’pa and Johnny Mouse slept at night. There were three little soft white beds which Gran’pa Mouse had made out of pasteboard boxes. One for Gran-ma, one for Gran’pa and one for Johnny Mouse.

        The living room was the largest room in the little cigar-box house, but that was quite small. Here of evenings Gran’ma sat and knitted while Gran’pa read the news and smoked his little pipe, or here they sat and visited with their friends. The little living-room contained two or three little rocking chairs, a couch, a center table with tiny lamp upon it, and a lovely organ. No one played upon the organ tor it was only a picture which Gran’ma had clipped from a large magazine and pasted upon the wall. 

        But from across the little Mouse living-room it looked like a real organ, for it was beautifully colored. All around the little cigar-box house was a tiny picket fence to keep the mischievous bug boys out of Gran’pa Mouse’s garden. 

        The fence was made out of burnt matches which Gran’pa and Johnny Mouse had gathered and carried there in a little pasteboard wheelbarrow. There was also a tiny well back of the house, near the kitchen door and the bucket was made from an acorn.

Johnny Mouse pulled out two of Gran'ma's lovely sugared
doughnuts. "There!" he said, "eat those."

        Gran’pa and Johnny were working in the garden, and every once in a while Gran'pa and Johnny Mouse wiggled their pink noses and looked toward the kitchen. 

        “Did Gran’ma call us?" Johnny Mouse finally asked. 

        “I believe she did!’ Gran’pa Mouse laughed, as he wiggled his nose. 

        “No, I did not call you!” Gran’ma said, when Johnny and Gran’pa Mouse looked in the kitchen door. She knew they had scented the lovely doughnuts she was cooking. 

        “Have you finished weeding the garden?” Gran’ma asked. 

        “It is all finished!” said Gran’pa Mouse. 

        “Then let’s have a picnic!” Gran’ma said, as she took the last of the doughnuts out of the kettle and rolled them in sugar. 

        Gran’pa drew an acorn bucket full of water from the little well and he and Johnny Mouse washed their faces and hands. Gran’ma Mouse packed a little basket full of doughnuts and other things and put on her pretty little bonnet. Johnny carried the little basket and ran ahead down the path through the woods. 

        Soon Gran’ma and Gran’pa and Johnny Mouse came to Chicky Town and there they found all the Chickies crying. 

        “Dear me! Why do you cry?” Gran’ma and Gran'pa and Johnny Mouse asked them.

        “We are crying because this is the day the Woozgoozle is to come and eat some of us!” said a large Rooster Chicky. “The Woozgoozle comes once a week, carries.two or three of us to his cave and eats us!” 

        “But he has no right to do that!” said Gran’ma, as she stamped her little foot. 

        “Here he comes now!” cried all the Chickies, as they began running this way and that and hurrying into their houses. 

        Down the path Gran’ma and Gran’pa and Johnny Mouse could hear the Woozgoozle coming. “Kerlumpity, kerlumpity!’ And presently he came to the first Chicky house. There he found two fat Chickies, and putting them into a sack he turned back up the road. 

        When the Woozgoozle left, all the Chickies came out of their houses and squawked and cackled until ‘Gran’ ma and Gran’pa and Johnny Mouse had to hold their hands over their ears. 

        Gran’ma and Gran’pa and Johnny Mouse sadly left Chicky Town and went down the road in the very same direction the Woozgoozle had taken. 

        Johnny Mouse ran ahead, and soon beside the path, lying upon a stone, fast asleep, he saw the Woozgoozle. Johnny waited quietly until Gran’ma and Gran’pa Mouse came up to him. “He has eaten the Chickies!’ Johnny said. Sure enough feathers were scattered all about. 

        Johnny Mouse climbed upon the stone and bit the Wooz- goozle upon his heel. 

        “Wow! the Woozgoozle cried as he sat up and rubbed his eves. “A bee must have stung me!’ Then seeing Johnny Mouse standing there he asked, “Did you do that?”

        “Yes!” said Johnny Mouse. “You should be ashamed, eating the Chickies! What if some one should eat up your mother or your father or someone whom you loved? That wouldn't be very nice, would it?”

        The Woozgoozle rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “I hadn't thought of that! All I thought of was how hungry | was. I'm so hungry now I'll have to get some more Chickies !"

       "Gran’ma and Gran'pa Mouse then climbed upon the rock beside Johnny. “No, you won't!” said Gran’pa Mouse. “It is wrong for you to take the Chickies away from one another.” 

        “But I must eat something!” sighed the Woozgoozle. 

        Johnny House reached into his basket and pulled out two of Gran'ma’s lovely sugared doughnuts. “There!” he said, ‘eat those."

        “My! Aren't they good?” cried the Woozgoozle. ‘They are ever so much better than Chickies! Yum, yum!" 

        “Give him some more, Johnny!” said Gran’pa Mouse. 

        So the Woozgoozle was given all of the picnic lunch to eat: sixteen doughnuts, nine cream puffs and a lemon pie.

        “Tell me where you find these things to eat and I'll promise never to eat another Chicky!” said the Woozgoozle. 

        “Gran’ma makes them!” said Johnny Mouse. 

        “Isn't that strange? I never knew any one could make anything to eat. I thought one had to catch things!” 

        “Wait until you taste ice-cream!” said Johnny Mouse. “And candy! Gran’ma makes everything like that, and they are better to eat than doughnuts and pie!"

        “If that is true, I am, indeed, sorry that I ever ate any of the Chickies,” said the Woozgoozle. ‘After this IT will never bother them again!"

        “You must come home with us,” Gran’ma Mouse said, “and I will teach you how to make doughnuts and other nice things to eat.”

        This pleased the Woozgoozle very much.

        Now, Gran’ma and Gran’pa and Johnny Mouse were very hungry by this time, so they decided they would return home. 

        When they came to Chicky Town all the Chickies began cackling when they saw the Woozgoozle, but Gran’ma and Gran’pa and Johnny Mouse told them the Woozgoozle had promised never to eat any of them again and so the Chickies were very happy. 

        Gran’ma and Gran‘pa and Johnny Mouse and the Woozgoozle finally reached the little cigar-box house and Gran’ma got supper while Gran'pa set the table and Johnny Mouse and the Woozgoozle washed their faces and hands and brushed their hair. 

        Then they sat down at the table. It was hard to get the Woozgoozle to eat anything except doughnuts and pie and cream puffs, for he liked them very much and did not know (like a good many children) that too many sweets are apt to give one a stomach-ache. 

        Then, when supper was over, and the dishes washed and wiped, Johnny showed the Woozgoozle his scrapbook with pretty pictures in it, until time for bed. 

        “Well!” said Gran’pa, as he took off his shoes and put on his house slippers, “it turned out a delightful picnic after all.” 

        And Gran’ma Mouse, thinking of the kindness they had done for Chicky Town, sighed contentedly, and replied: 

        “Yes, indeed, Gran’pa, and I feel that the Woozgoozle from now on will be a very kindly creature!’ And so he proved to be as you shall soon learn. story and pictures by Johnny Gruelle

The Woozgoozle in our story above is a pint sized "least weasel." 

by Wildlife Wednesday segment here describes his true 

nature and habitat.

Brave Peter Mouse Rebus

        Two little readers one older and one younger can share reading this story aloud together...

       Peter mouse did like to go out the barn and play, but a great black cat with great green eyes was out there too, and it frightened him away. One day Peter mouse crawled out of the hole, just to take a peep, and he laughed, and laughed and laughed, 'cause that big black cat was asleep. Then Peter's little eyes got just as bright, and his gray fur all bristled out, and he said, "Ho, I'm not afraid of the old cat. I'm going right up near, and pull his ear!" So he crept up, and crept up, just as easy, till he could almost reach out and give him a little pat-just like that! Then what do you s'pose that cat did? It just jumped right out of his way! It had been only make-believe asleep, and that Peter mouse just had time to scramble into his hole, and barely get away.

Printable "Brave Peter Mouse'' rebus. Click to see
much larger.

Story of The Town Mouse and The Country Mouse

See our 'country' mouse house 
dollhouse craft.

         A Town Mouse once visited a relative who lived in the country. For lunch the Country Mouse served wheat stalks, roots, and acorns, with a dash of cold water for drink. The Town Mouse ate very sparingly, nibbling a little of this and a little of that, and by her manner making it very plain that she ate the simple food only to be polite.

       After the meal the friends had a long talk, or rather the Town Mouse talked about her life in the city while the Country Mouse listened. They then went to bed in a cozy nest in the hedgerow and slept in quiet and comfort until morning. In her sleep the Country Mouse dreamed she was a Town Mouse with all the luxuries and delights of city life that her friend had described for her. So the next day when the Town Mouse asked the Country Mouse to go home with her to the city, she gladly said yes.

       When they reached the mansion in which the Town Mouse lived, they found on the table in the dining room the leavings of a very fine banquet. There were sweetmeats and jellies, pastries, delicious cheeses, indeed, the most tempting foods that a Mouse can imagine. But just as the Country Mouse was about to nibble a dainty bit of pastry, she heard a Cat mew loudly and scratch at the door. In great fear the Mice scurried to a hiding place, where they lay quite still for a long time, hardly daring to breathe. When at last they ventured back to the feast, the door opened suddenly and in came the servants to clear the table, followed by the House Dog.

       The Country Mouse stopped in the Town Mouse's den only long enough to pick up her carpet bag and umbrella.

       "You may have luxuries and dainties that I have not," she said as she hurried away, "but I prefer my plain food and simple life in the country with the peace and security that go with it."

• Color Six Dancing Mice and The Number 6
• Story of A Mouse
• Color Three Blind Mice
• Read about "Raggedy Ann and The Mouse"

 

The Country Mouse and City 

Mouse song by CoComelon

Can you read cursive writing? Above is a little
note describing facts about mouse friends.
Practice your cursive writing skills here.

Kindness Is Never Wasted

"Some days later, while stalking his prey in the forest, the Lion was
 caught in the toils of a hunter's net."

       A Lion lay asleep in the forest, his great head resting on his paws. A timid little Mouse came upon him unexpectedly, and in her fright and haste to get away, ran across the Lion's nose. Roused from his nap, the Lion laid his huge paw angrily on the tiny creature to kill her.
       "Spare me!" begged the poor Mouse. "Please let me go and some day I will surely repay you."
       The Lion was much amused to think that a Mouse could ever help him. But he was generous and finally let the Mouse go.
       Some days later, while stalking his prey in the forest, the Lion was caught in the toils of a hunter's net. Unable to free himself, he filled the forest with his angry roaring. The Mouse knew the voice and quickly found the Lion struggling in the net. Running to one of the great ropes that bound him, she gnawed it until it parted, and soon the Lion was free.
       "You laughed when I said I would repay you," said the Mouse. "Now you see that even a Mouse can help a Lion."

Aesop: Biography of a Great Thinker

More Mouse Entertainment:

• The Musical Mouse
• "There was a crooked man..." coloring page
• "The Lion and the Mouse Fable" in Silhouettes

The Tale of Mrs. Tittlemouse

 The Tale of Mrs. Tittlemouse, 
by Beatrix Potter

 

"Mrs. Tittlemouse does the spring cleaning."

 Once upon a time there was a wood-mouse, and her name was Mrs. Tittlemouse.

   She lived in a bank under a hedge.

   Such a funny house! There were yards and yards of sandy passages, leading to storerooms and nut-cellars and seed-cellars, all amongst the roots of the hedge.

   There was a kitchen, a parlour, a pantry, and a larder.

   Also, there was Mrs. Tittlemouse's bedroom, where she slept in a little box bed!

   Mrs. Tittlemouse was a most terribly tidy particular little mouse, always sweeping and dusting the soft sandy floors.

   Sometimes a beetle lost its way in the passages.

   "Shuh! shuh! little dirty feet!" said Mrs. Tittlemouse, clattering her dust-pan.

   And one day a little old woman ran up and down in a red spotty cloak.

   "Your house is on fire, Mother Ladybird! Fly away home to your children!"

   Another day, a big fat spider came in to shelter from the rain.

   "Beg pardon, is this not Miss Muffet's?"

   "Go away, you bold bad spider! Leaving ends of cobweb all over my nice clean house!"

   She bundled the spider out at a window.

   He let himself down the hedge with a long thin bit of string.

   Mrs. Tittlemouse went on her way to a distant storeroom, to fetch cherry-stones and thistle-down seed for dinner.

   All along the passage she sniffed, and looked at the floor.

   "I smell a smell of honey; is it the cowslips outside, in the hedge? I am sure I can see the marks of little dirty feet."

   Suddenly round a corner, she met Babbitty Bumble--"Zizz, Bizz, Bizzz!" said the bumble bee.

   Mrs. Tittlemouse looked at her severely. She wished that she had a broom.

   "Good-day, Babbitty Bumble; I should be glad to buy some beeswax. But what are you doing down here? Why do you always come in at a window, and say Zizz, Bizz, Bizzz?" Mrs. Tittlemouse began to get cross.

   "Zizz, Wizz, Wizzz!" replied Babbitty Bumble in a peevish squeak. She sidled down a passage, and disappeared into a storeroom which had been used for acorns.

   Mrs. Tittlemouse had eaten the acorns before Christmas; the storeroom

ought to have been empty.

   But it was full of untidy dry moss.

"Mr. Jackson in her parlor."

   Mrs. Tittlemouse began to pull out the moss. Three or four other bees put their heads out, and buzzed fiercely.

   "I am not in the habit of letting lodgings; this is an intrusion!" said Mrs. Tittlemouse. "I will have them turned out--" "Buzz! Buzz! Buzzz!"--"I wonder who would help me?" "Bizz, Wizz, Wizzz!"

    "I will not have Mr. Jackson; he never wipes his feet."

   Mrs. Tittlemouse decided to leave the bees till after dinner.

   When she got back to the parlour, she heard some one coughing in a fat voice; and there sat Mr. Jackson himself!

   He was sitting all over a small rocking-chair, twiddling his thumbs and smiling, with his feet on the fender.

   He lived in a drain below the hedge, in a very dirty wet ditch.

   "How do you do, Mr. Jackson? Deary me, you have got very wet!"

   "Thank you, thank you, thank you, Mrs. Tittlemouse! I'll sit awhile and dry myself," said Mr. Jackson.

   He sat and smiled, and the water dripped off his coat tails. Mrs. Tittlemouse went round with a mop.

   He sat such a while that he had to be asked if he would take some dinner?

   First she offered him cherry-stones. "Thank you, thank you, Mrs. Tittlemouse! No teeth, no teeth, no teeth!" said Mr. Jackson.

   He opened his mouth most unnecessarily wide; he certainly had not a tooth in his head.

   Then she offered him thistle-down seed--"Tiddly, widdly, widdly! Pouff, pouff, puff!" said Mr. Jackson. He blew the thistle-down all over the room.

   "Thank you, thank you, thank you, Mrs. Tittlemouse! Now what I really--_really_ should like--would be a little dish of honey!"

   "I am afraid I have not got any, Mr. Jackson," said Mrs. Tittlemouse.

   "Tiddly, widdly, widdly, Mrs. Tittlemouse!" said the smiling Mr. Jackson, "I can _smell_ it; that is why I came to call."

   Mr. Jackson rose ponderously from the table, and began to look into the cupboards.

   Mrs. Tittlemouse followed him with a dish-cloth, to wipe his large wet footmarks off the parlour floor.

   When he had convinced himself that there was no honey in the cupboards, he began to walk down the passage.

   "Indeed, indeed, you will stick fast, Mr. Jackson!"

   "Tiddly, widdly, widdly, Mrs. Tittlemouse!"

   First he squeezed into the pantry.

   "Tiddly, widdly, widdly? no honey? no honey, Mrs. Tittlemouse?"

   There were three creepy-crawly people hiding in the plate-rack. Two of them got away; but the littlest one he caught.

   Then he squeezed into the larder. Miss Butterfly was tasting the sugar; but she flew away out of the window.

   "Tiddly, widdly, widdly, Mrs. Tittlemouse; you seem to have plenty of visitors!"

   "And without any invitation!" said Mrs. Thomasina Tittlemouse.

   They went along the sandy passage--"Tiddly widdly--" "Buzz! Wizz! Wizz!"

   He met Babbitty round a corner, and snapped her up, and put her down again.

   "I do not like bumble bees. They are all over bristles," said Mr. Jackson, wiping his mouth with his coat-sleeve.

"Mrs. Tittlemouse makes her front
entrance much smaller."

   "Get out, you nasty old toad!" shrieked Babbitty Bumble.

   "I shall go distracted!" scolded Mrs. Tittlemouse.

   She shut herself up in the nut-cellar while Mr. Jackson pulled out the bees-nest. He seemed to have no objection to stings.

   When Mrs. Tittlemouse ventured to come out--everybody had gone away.

   But the untidiness was something dreadful--"Never did I see such a mess--smears of honey; and moss, and thistledown--and marks of big and little dirty feet--all over my nice clean house!"

   She gathered up the moss and the remains of the beeswax.

   Then she went out and fetched some twigs, to partly close up the front door.

   "I will make it too small for Mr. Jackson!"

   She fetched soft soap, and flannel, and a new scrubbing brush from the storeroom. But she was too tired to do any more. First she fell asleep in her chair, and then she went to bed.

   "Will it ever be tidy again?" said poor Mrs. Tittlemouse.

   Next morning she got up very early and began a spring cleaning which lasted a fortnight.

   She swept, and scrubbed, and dusted; and she rubbed up the furniture with beeswax, and polished her little tin spoons.

   When it was all beautifully neat and clean, she gave a party to five other little mice, without Mr. Jackson.

   He smelt the party and came up the bank, but he could not squeeze in at the door.

   So they handed him out acorn-cupfuls of honey-dew through the window, and he was not at all offended.

   He sat outside in the sun, and said--"Tiddly, widdly, widdly! Your very good health, Mrs. Tittlemouse!"

THE END

A little mouse for you to embroider on a dress,
apron, pillow case or quilt.

The mystery of the stolen clothes...

 A Tiny Tot Tale

by Helen Cowles Le Cron

       Now Nancy had a tiny doll with yellow hair. She called it Polly, and loved to make it clothes. You know some very little girls can sew. Well, just before she went to bed one night, she made a dress of red for Polly, and a tiny hat with one red feather. Think of that! The cross old clock was striking eight when Mother said, "Come, dear, it's late!" So, Nancy went, and took her doll but left the clothes she'd made for Polly.
       All dark and quiet grew the cottage and then scratch, scratch - a little mouse - (a lady mouse) came creeping out, to see the big round world no doubt. Quite soon, she noticed Nancy's chair. "A hat?" she squeaked "I do declare! "What luck! A fine, new dress and hat just made for me. Now think of that!" She tried them on, "My sakes!" squeaked she "How fine a dress and hat can be. I feel so Sunday-fied and nice; I just must show my sister mice."
       When morning came, as mornings should, poor Polly's clothes were gone for good, and Nancy simply couldn't guess who took her dolly's hat and dress. But old man clock he knew, he knew - and he told me what I tell you.

A printable rebus for teachers and students.
Click to read much larger!

How to make a sock mouse for display purposes

        Church mice are considered collectible by some people who purchase them at charity auctions. Although I am one that generally believes all toys should be played with, I will share with visitors how to make these small dolls for display so that they might be auctioned or sold for school or ministry fund raising. 

Left, sock mice ready to be dressed in costumes and have their stands finished.
Center, I used the cotton covered chenille stems to help balance the mice on the stands.
Right, these mice have eyes made from pom-poms, beads and pink felt circles. 

        To make sock mice that will stand or sit permanently, the mouse should be attached to a stand. This stand should keep the mouse in whatever position is originally intended to flatter it's clothing or animation. Sock mice are very soft, flexible and light weight - so the stands need not be made out of heavy material. The examples I show on this post are made from a cardboard, molded orange crate that I found at a local market. It was clean and I liked it's interesting texture. If you can't find one of these, use a small box. Little boxes may be weighted down to make the stand heavier if needed, so there is an advantage to using them instead of molded cardboard. I used the wire tails of my sock mice to balance them as I wished in this case; so there was no need of weighting the stands.

       Mice like these are generally dressed in thematic attire and if they are displayed on a box the container will include either a change of clothes, accessories or a music box. However, all of these ideas must be expanded upon in a future post. For now I will simply explain 'how' to craft the body of the mouse.

 Supply List:

• cotton batting fiber for stuffing the mouse or mice
• baby socks in colors of mic: white, brown, grey and black
• needle and threads to match the sock fabric
• pale pink pom-poms for the mouse nose
• pink felt for the inner lining of the mouse ear
• white chenille stems for the wire arms and legs of the mouse
• small beads for the eyes
• a base to support the mouse in a standing position if you wish
• thread or fishing line for the mouse whiskers

Left, pulp crate used to transport oranges recycled into stands for my sock mice.
Center, close-up view of stand. Right, see details of sock mouse face, ears, eyes and nose.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. I decided to cut the infant socks in half lengthwise. This made is easier to stuff their bodies into slender shapes, thus making their costumes more attractive in my own opinion. Remember that knitted socks do stretch a great deal and you will always need less material from them than anticipated in the beginning. I also wanted to ensure that I would have leftover sock scraps for the ears of the mice.
2. When I stitched down the length of the sock, I turned the rough sides together instead of the smooth. Most church mice made from socks present the smooth knitting as the skin but I found the rougher, inside parts of the socks to be more like fur, so I stitched the material in the reverse.
3. While sewing the seam, you want to make sure that the toe of the sock is sewn shut in the shape of a gradually narrow point. This will form the structure of the mouse's snout.
4. Turn the sewn parts inside out to hide the seam.
5. Stuff the main body with soft cotton batting, not polyester, cotton only. Polyester will collapse over time. If the mouse is intended for display, the cotton batting will help the body of the mouse to remain upright and stiff.
6. Do not sew the bottom part of the sock after sewing the sides just yet. You can, however, tack the opening shut in the center with thread at the point. 
7. Shape the small rodent's head and snout while stuffing the body. You may wish to tie a bit of thread to form the neck of the mouse permanently. 
8. Cut from the remaining sock scraps two round shapes for the ears. You can trace around a coin for the ear shapes. Do the same on top of a bit of pink felt.
9. Now stitch together and around the felt and sock ear pieces, leaving a small hole to turn them inside out. 
10. Pinch the ear pieces together and tack these with a stitch.
11. Now sew the tiny ears to the mouse head, one on either side.
12. You can sew or hot glue a tiny pink pom-pom to the tip of the mouse snout for it's nose.
13. Thread a needle with fishing line and sew whiskers securely in and out of the snout. Clip the whiskers leaving some of the thread to stick out as you go.
14. Sew on beads for eyes.
15. Take a chenille stem and thread it inside the bottom of the mouse torso to form the legs of the mouse. Sew the remaining sock material firmly around the wire to make the legs stiff. Shape the knit around the top of the legs with the needle and thread. (see photo)
16. Bend the tiny chenille feet of the mouse and then hot glue these to the stand. 
17. Not take a second chenille stem and twist cotton batting around it to form the tail of the mouse. Roll the stem between the palms of your hands vigorously to adhere the white glue, batting and chenille stem together.
18. Using a needle and matching thread attach a generous length of the wire tail to the back side of the mouse. 
19. Shape the tail as you like with loops and turns. Hot glue the end or some curve of the tail to the base in order to give the display mouse balance. (see photos)
20. Attach a length of the chenille stem to the mouse across it's back to form arms. You can roll this stem in batting or cover it with knit sock or leave it plain. In any case, the costume of the mouse will be permanent so some of these attachments will not be fully seen after you have finished dressing the church mouse in the end. So, make your choices according to the costume you select to dress the mouse in.

How to make a sock mouse for play, 

by Brave Mouse Books

• See our mouse art studio over at the Doll Coloring Book!
• Instructions for making cotton batting mice at my Christmas blog here.

The Cat, the Rooster and the Young Mouse

"Do not trust alone to outward appearances."

       A very young Mouse, who had never seen anything of the world, almost came to grief the very first time he ventured out. And this is the story he told his mother about his adventures.

       "I was strolling along very peaceably when, just as I turned the corner into the next yard, I saw two strange creatures. One of them had a very kind and gracious look, but the other was the most fearful monster you can imagine. You should have seen him.

       "On top of his head and in front of his neck hung pieces of raw red meat. He walked about restlessly, tearing up the ground with his toes, and beating his arms savagely against his sides. The moment he caught sight of me he opened his pointed mouth as if to swallow me, and then he let out a piercing roar that frightened me almost to death."

       Can you guess who it was that our young Mouse was trying to describe to his mother? It was nobody but the Barnyard Rooster and the first one the little Mouse had ever seen.

       "If it had not been for that terrible monster," the Mouse went on, "I should have made the acquaintance of the pretty creature, who looked so good and gentle. He had thick, velvety fur, a meek face, and a look that was very modest, though his eyes were bright and shining. As he looked at me he waved his fine long tail and smiled.

       "I am sure he was just about to speak to me when the monster I have told you about let out a screaming yell, and I ran for my life."

       "My son," said the Mother Mouse, "that gentle creature you saw was none other than the Cat. Under his kindly appearance, he bears a grudge against every one of us. The other was nothing but a bird who wouldn't harm you in the least. As for the Cat, he eats us. So be thankful, my child, that you escaped with your life, and, as long as you live, never judge people by their looks." by Aesop

"Mouse Hunt" by Aarons Animals

Mouse bookplates for her or him! Printable for home computer use. Not for sale.

       His and her mouse bookplates for little ones to label their literary collections. Just write each child's name above the mouse graphic, cut out the bookplate and paste it inside the book cover or onto the first page of each book belonging to your child. The designs are by Martha Feller King. You can find more of her bookplates for children here.  Book plates are for personal projects only and should not be redistributed from any other website but this one. Do not sale the images.

Find more free bookplates:

• Bookplates for adults at Christian Clipart Review
• Bookplates for clergy, plus descriptions

Man builds an entire mouse 

village for photography.

A Little Mouse Tale

"Those who seek to harm others
 often come to harm themselves
 through their own deceit."

      A young Mouse in search of adventure was running along the bank of a pond where lived a Frog. When the Frog saw the Mouse, he swam to the bank and croaked:

       "Won't you pay me a visit? I can promise you a good time if you do."

       The Mouse did not need much coaxing, for he was very anxious to see the world and everything in it. But though he could swim a little, he did not dare risk going into the pond without some help.

       The Frog had a plan. He tied the Mouse's leg to his own with a tough reed. Then into the pond he jumped, dragging his foolish companion with him.

       The Mouse soon had enough of it and wanted to return to shore; but the treacherous Frog had other plans. He pulled the Mouse down under the water and drowned him. But before he could untie the reed that bound him to the dead Mouse, a Hawk came sailing over the pond. Seeing the body of the Mouse floating on the water, the Hawk swooped down, seized the Mouse and carried it off, with the Frog dangling from its leg. Thus at one swoop he had caught both meat and fish for his dinner.

Find More Mini, Printable Books:

• Five Little Angels
• The Wee Squirrelees by Grace Drayton
• 10 Silly Number Pages for coloring and reading

Beth creates the Wakehurst mouse hole.

The Yellow Mouse? Full of short words for young readers.

        One evening Mousey made up his mind to leave his home and see the world. His world was the nursery, where just now all was dark and quiet, except for the flicker and glow of the fire in the grate. His home was a warm and cozy nest right under the boards, which his mother had made for him and his brothers.
       But Mousey was tired of the nest, and when Mrs. Mouse had left her children to look for her supper he slipped out after her, and ran up the dark passage to the world above. He was a pretty little thing. His toes were pink and so was the tip of his nose. His coat was soft and brown and furry and his eyes shone like big black beads. His tail was a wonder, so long and so slender.
       Scrit-scratch went his tiny feet on the nursery floor as he ran. What a lot of strange smells! thought Mousey. He sniffed first round the coal-box, and then near the cat's basket, and then under the table, where some cake-crumbs had fallen. The last smell made him so curious that he tasted a crumb with his little pink tongue, and then for the next few minutes he was busy. Nibble, nibble, one crumb after another, till he had had a good supper.
       Soon Mousey found himself at the foot of the table-leg. "This goes up," said he, "and so will I.'' He stuck his sharp claws into the wood and up he went. The table-cloth, too, was a help, for he could stick his claws int that as well.
       At last he was up, and there was a great surprise for Mousey. For in the middle stood a strange little house shut in by bars that shone like gold in the firelight. Behind the golden bars sat a golden prisoner. "Hurrah!" cried Mousey in his thin squeak, ''this must be the yellow mouse my mother has told me of. It is he who sings so loudly in the sunshine when we brown mice are hiding away. I will set him free and take him home and he shall teach us to sing loudly too."
       Mousey gripped the golden bars with his tiny sharp teeth, and bit hard and fast. "Twing, twang," said the bars, and the golden prisoner woke. He ruffled his feathers and gave an angry squawk. "Ugly little brown mouse, what are you doing here? Squawk! squawk!"
       Timid Mousey gave one look at him as he flew, beating his wings round his cage, and then rushed to the edge of the table. Down by the cloth he swung and scrit-scratched across the floor. He did not stop till he was safe in his cozy dark nest again. by H. W. Seers.

 

"He ruffled his feathers and gave an angry squawk."

How Grasshopper Green defended the Meadow Mice

 

       Early one Saturday morning-it must have been about the end of February- Father Meadow-Mouse looked out of the window and saw that there had been quite a thaw during the night.

       "Mother Meadow-Mouse," said he, "it is much warmer this morning, and I think the ice that filled up that hole under Farmer Green's corn-crib must be melted away. Now our larder is nearly empty; so you and I'd better go over there right away and get some corn before the squirrels wake up." 

       So Mother Meadow-Mouse put on her little dark blue shawl, and Father Meadow-Mouse put on his little bright red muffler, and, taking two sacks with them, they started off to get the corn. 

Meadow-Mouse children clean up the house while their parents are away.

    

   Grasshopper Green stayed home with the children (the day being Saturday, they didn't have to go to school), for in spite of the thaw the weather was still too cold for him to safely venture out.

       Making Everything spic and span "Now, children," said Grasshopper Green, "we'll wash the breakfast dishes, and sweep and dust the room, and make everything spick and span to surprise your Mother and Father when they come back." 

       So Long-Tail, Sharp-Eyes, Pink-Ears and Mouseykins all put on funny little blue aprons and fell to work, and in a very short time the dishes were all washed and dried and the room was as neat as a new pin.

       When all the work was done, Grasshopper Green got out his fiddle and said that it was time for a dancing lesson. 

       Oh, how the little Meadow-Mouse Children enjoyed dancing lessons! Of course they couldn't equal the wonderful twirling leaps of their teacher, Grasshopper Green, but they did very well, and you should have seen how gracefully they waved their tails; and that was something that Grasshopper Green couldn't do for the reason, of course, that he hadn't any tail to wave. 

       The first part of the lesson was over, and Grasshopper Green was just starting to re-tune his little fiddle, when they heard a creaking sound - as if someone were cautiously trying to push open the front door, which was bolted on the inside.

       Long-Tail, who happened to be standing near the little window, peeped out to see who was there, then suddenly jumped back and dived into the corner cupboard, squeaking in a trembly voice, "It's Mouser!"

       Now "Mouser" was Farmer Green's big, yellow-eyed, black cat! 

      Father Meadow-Mouse had once said to Grasshopper Green, "Our home is so far away from the farmhouse and barn and is so well disguised that there is really no danger of that terrible Mouser ever finding it." But here he was at last! 

       Mouser, no doubt, had heard--perhaps the weasel who lived near-by had told him--that Father and Mother Meadow-Mouse had both gone out that morning, leaving the children alone. 

       He probably did not know that Grasshopper Green was there with the little Meadow-Mice, though, of course, even if he had, he wouldn't have thought anything of it. And what, indeed, could a little Grasshopper do against a big cat? 

       There was only one thing he could do, Grasshopper Green decided, and that was to go for help without a moment's delay. 

Thistlewhistle the fairy, lived with 
some rabbit friends.

       Now Grasshopper Green knew that Thistle-Whistle, the Fairy, lived with some rabbits in a rabbit-hole among the briars not far away, and he was sure that Thistle-Whistle, who was quite a powerful Fairy, could in some way drive off Mouser and rescue the little Meadow-Mice.

       So, not even stopping to put on a muffler, he raised the window very quietly and hopped out.

       Mouser was intent on trying to open the door by clawing and pushing, and didn't notice the window at all.

       Then you should have seen Grasshopper Green's tremendous leaps! You may be sure he went faster than any Grasshopper had ever hopped before. Warmed by his excitement an d exertions, he didn't feel the cold a bit.

       He soon reached the rabbit-hole. Alas! The Fairy was not there. As Grasshopper Green turned to go, he spied a small chest standing near the door. At the sight of this a brilliant idea immediately popped into his head!

       Now Listen! In that chest were some tiny black pellets, magic pellets, about the size of mustard seeds.

       Thistle-Whistle and Grasshopper Green had become great friends that winter an d the Fairy had told Grasshopper Green about these magic pellets; if you swallow only one, and then wished yourself any size you wanted to be-as small as a Flea or as big as an Elephant, or any size in between. You would become that size instantly!

       Grasshopper Green returned to the whole promptly and with the seed in his mouth, wished to be as large as a small dog!

       The moment Mouser poked his head inside of the mouse hole, his eyes met with Grasshopper Greens'. The sight of the massive insect nearly paralyzed Mouser with surprise!

       Although a grasshopper is usually a very good-natured little fellow he has a really terrifying face, but we don't notice it often because he's so very small.

Grasshopper Green very scary when he's the size of a small dog!

       Look very closely at one sometime and then try to imagine what a strange looking monster he would be if he were as big as a dog!

       Great-Grandfather Goodheart said, when he told me the story, that Mouser never stopped running until he got to the next village, five miles away, and that he shrieked out to every animal he passed on the way that he had seen a dragon!

       At any rate, he was never seen about Farmer Green's place again. And that certainly was a great relief to all the Meadow-Mice, I can attest to it.

       As soon as Mouser disappeared in the distance, Grasshopper Green swallowed another pellet and wished himself back to his usual size. Then he called to the Meadow-Mouse children to come out of their hiding places and told them the good news. For Long-Tail and Sharp-Eyes had been squeezed in the cupboard and Pink-Ears and Mouseykins were under the bed all that time.

       Pretty soon Father and Mother Meadow-Mouse returned with their sacks full of corn.

       When they heard that Mouser had been so frightened that he probably would never return, you can guess how happy they were. They would be able to caper about freely for certain.

       They sent out invitations right away for a fine big party in honor of Grasshopper Green, who was, of course, their hero for many years to come. The End.

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