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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The winter adventures of Grasshopper Green and his mice friends...

       Grasshopper Green felt so much better when he awoke in the morning, and a fine sunny morning it was, too, for the storm was over. The kindness of the Meadow-Mice, even more than the food and warmth, had made him feel almost like himself again, and if you've ever been acquainted with Grasshoppers, you know, of course, how sprightly and happy they naturally are. 
       He was still rather weak, however; so Mother Meadow-Mouse, who was a famous nurse, made him stay in bed and took care of him as if he had been one of her own family. 
       She put a mustard-seed poultice on his chest, and gave him a little hot corn gruel, and a drop or two of honey every two hours for his hoarseness. 

Uncle Meadow-Mouse teaches the children how to read and do their sums.

       Grasshopper Green improved so rapidly that by the time the young mice got home from school he was well enough to get up. I forgot to tell you that Long-Tail, Sharp-Eyes, Pink-Ears and Mouseykins were taught by a wise old grey mouse whom they called "Uncle." "Uncle" lived in a nice stone house, a hole in the foundation of a ruined barn, near-by.

 

Father Meadow-Mouse tells a story about pie-rats to his children.

       They were all very merry that evening at the supper table. Jolly Father Meadow-Mouse told them a rattling good yarn about the adventures of some young water-rats who put to sea in an old pie plate and determined to become pie-rats! (Your mother will explain this little joke.)
       After supper, while the youngsters were doing their lessons, Grasshopper Green helped Father and Mother Meadow-Mouse with the dishes. It made him feel very sad to think that he must soon be leaving this pleasant household. He thanked Father and Mother Meadow-Mouse for all their goodness, and started to say that he ought to be leaving the next morning, as he had nothing with which to pay for his keep, but Father Meadow-Mouse interrupted him.  

In winter and spring, fairies share in 
fun games with their good mouse 
compainions.

       "You'll do no such thing," he exclaimed heartily. "Now you just listen to me. If you want to pay us, you can do it in this way. Give us all dancing lessons, and play us a lively tune on your little fiddle now and then, for every one knows that all Grasshoppers are wonderful dancers and fiddlers."
       This plan, of course, just suited Grasshopper Green. In fact he was so delighted at the prospect of spending the winter with the merry, kind-hearted Meadow-Mice that he made a tremendous leap which carried him clear to the other end of the room. A second leap almost landed him in a pan of dish-water!
       In the midst of his caperings there was a knock at the door. 
       It was Mr. and Mrs. White-Mouse, old friends of the Meadow-Mice, who had come to make a friendly call. Grasshopper Green had never seen any White Mice before, and he thought them very beautiful and aristocratic with their pale complexions, ruby-colored eyes and long pinky tails. (For White-Mice do look that way, you know).
       He learned later that they belonged to a little boy living in a near-by farm house.
       Rap, tap, tap!-more guests arrived: three dainty little roadside Fairies with these funny names, Sun-Flower-Seed, Thistle-Whistle, and Ragged Sailor. (Fairies and Mice are usually very good friends; in fact, Great-Grandfather Goodheart says-but I'll tell you about that some other time.) 
       Grasshopper Green had met Ragged Sailor before. He was quite a musician and carried his tiny golden accordion in the sailor blouse he always wore. 
       It wasn't long before Grasshopper Green had his tiny fiddle tuned up, and Ragged Sailor got out his accordion. Then they started to play the liveliest little tunes you ever heard. 
       The rest of the party pushed the chairs and table back against the wall, to make room for dancing and then-Bless your heart! What a good time they all had. I sometimes wish that I were small enough to dance with a Fairy or a Mouse. Don't you? 

Fairies and mice dance all night while Grasshopper Green plays his fiddle!

        First they played the Pansy Petal Polka-a great favorite with the Fairies; then the Dragon Fly Dance and the Wheatfield Gavotte.
       They danced everything they could think of, from the ridiculous Caterpillar Crawl to the lovely Moon-Moth Minuet, ending up with the Grasshopper Hornpipe. In this dance, the object was to see which dancer could leap the highest and crack his heels together oftenest before he touched the floor.
       Sunflower Seed did this the best of all, for she had a pair of beautiful striped wings, like a butterfly's, which enabled her to stay in the air as long as she pleased.
       The Meadow-Mouse Children, who had gone to bed soon after the company came, were awakened by the noise of the Grasshopper Hornpipe, which was the most boisterous of all the dances. 
       Everybody was in such good humor that the little Meadow-Mice were allowed to stay up and come in, to join the fun.
       Dancing so much had made everyone hungry; so Father Meadow-Mouse got the corn popper and they popped, and popped, and popped, and ate, and ate, and ate! I don't dare to tell you how much they ate. Especially the four youngsters. The Fairies, too, seemed very fond of the popcorn. 
       "It's such a nice change from rose pollen and honeysuckle juice," Thistle-Whistle remarked. 
       Well, finally, Mr. White-Mouse said, "We must really be going now, for it's getting very late.' "
       "And so must we," said the Fairies, and that pleasant evening came to an end. 
       This, though, was only one of the many merry gatherings at the home of the Meadow-Mice.
       Even when no friends dropped in they had fine cozy evenings.
    Sometimes they would all play games, sometimes Father Meadow-Mouse would tell one of his entertaining stories, and sometimes Mrs. Meadow-Mouse would sing while Grasshopper Green accompanied her on his fiddle. Here's the chorus of one of her quaint little songs: 

The funny little chorus Mother Meadow-Mouse sings.

       Although, during the winter, Grasshopper Green hardly ever dared to go outdoors on account of the cold, which of course is very dangerous to Grasshoppers, he had such happy times with his new friends that the months passed very quickly.

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The story of Grasshopper Green and the Meadow Mice

 

       Of course you know the story of "The Grasshopper and the Ant"- and how one autumn, when the winds were growing raw and cold and the nights frosty, the poor Grasshopper, who hadn't done anything but fiddle and dance all through the pleasant summer and had nothing laid by for the hard winter, went to the thrifty Ant and asked for a bite to eat and a chance to warm his toes in the chimney corner. And how the tight-fisted Ant refused to help the Grasshopper.

       Ant said to the shivering Grasshopper, "Keep on fiddling and dancing, it may help to keep you warm!"

       This always seemed to me so cruel. 

       Now you've probably wondered, just as I used to, whatever finally became of that Grasshopper. 

       Well, dear old Great-Grandfather Goodheart, who knows all about such things, told me the following story one rainy day as we sat by the open fire roasting chestnuts. I enjoyed it so much that I'm sure you will too. 

       Now, make yourself comfortable and cozy and listen. After the sneering Ant had banged the door in his face, Grasshopper Green felt, as you may imagine miserable, forlorn and friendless.

       It was growing dark. He turned up the collar of his threadbare claw-hammer coat and shuffled along over the frozen ground, scarcely noticing where his benumbed feet were taking him. He tried wrapping himself in a fallen leaf; it was red and looked as though it might be warm. But, alas! it proved to be a very thin covering against the biting, icy wind. 

       He tried to cheer himself up by playing on his little fiddle, but his fingers were too cold to play lively, cheerful tunes. At last, feeling too chilled and hungry and discouraged to go any further, he sank down at the foot of an old apple tree. This was some protection at least from the wintry blasts which, by now, were moaning, "Whoo-ooh-whee-eeeh!" among the bare branches in a very disheartening way. 

       Poor Grasshopper Green wrapped his leaf cape tightly about him and, in spite of his chattering teeth, finally fell into an uneasy sleep. 

Grasshopper's bad dream.

       He dreamed that he was wandering over an immense field of ice. Suddenly there appeared before him a little red table, upon which was a large yellow bowl of steaming, fragrant broth! Beside the table stood a chair, over the back of which was thrown a thick, fur-lined coat. 

       Just as he reached for the coat, he heard a terrific howling, and the next moment a gigantic hand had swept past him, snatching away the coat and the soup, and so terrifying Grasshopper Green that he fell over backward-and awoke. 

       "Well, singe my whiskers, what's this? What's this?" he heard a hearty voice exclaiming, and, looking up, was astonished to find himself in the cozy home of a family of Meadow-Mice! 

       This is how it had happened. When Grasshopper Green sank down exhausted among the roots of the old apple tree, he had not noticed, in the darkness, that he was leaning against a small door; this was the door of the home of the Meadow-Mouse family, who lived here in a hollow part of the tree, near the roots. 

       An especially strong gust of wind had blown the door open and tumbled Grasshopper Green into the room. When he sat up and looked about he was not quite sure, at first, that this was not just a part of his dream. 

       Father and Mother Meadow-Mouse and their four children, Long-Tail, Sharp-Eyes, Pink-Ears, and Mouseykins, had finished their supper of cornbread and cheese, and Father Meadow-Mouse was telling of two narrow escapes he had had the night before, one from a horned owl and one from Farmer Green's cat, Mouser. He had just come to the most exciting part of his adventures and all the family were listening with breathless interest, when the door, which had been left unbolted, blew open, as I have told you, and in tumbled poor Grasshopper Green. 

       Father and Mother Meadow-Mouse helped him over to their most comfortable chair, by the fire, for the poor fellow was so benumbed by the cold that he could hardly even stand alone. 

Grasshopper gets goose-berry syrup for his cough.

       While Grasshopper Green was explaining, in a wheezing voice, interrupted by coughs, how it was that he had burst in on them so rudely, Mother Meadow-Mouse filled a plate with food for him; then, bustling over to a corner cupboard, she got down a little jug of homemade Goose-berry syrup, poured some of it into a pannikin and set this on the fire to heat, saying as she did so, "There's nothing like warmed Gooseberry syrup to break up a cough." 

       Father Meadow-Mouse would every now and then blow his nose and exclaim, "Well, singe my whiskers and twist my tail!" just to express his sympathy. 

       Of course the little Meadow-Mouse children looked on with the greatest interest. When they saw their mother's treasured Gooseberry juice brought out they all pretended to have coughs, and Mother Meadow-Mouse good-naturedly gave them each a few drops. 

       When famished Grasshopper Green had eaten all he could-which, of course, seemed like very little to the big, hearty Meadow-Mice and when he had drunk the delicious Gooseberry juice, he sank back in the comfortable chair with a contented sigh. 

       Just think how heavenly it must have seemed to him, after having been nearly frozen and starved to death, to be sitting cozily by a warm hearth after a good supper! Father Meadow-Mouse was helping Mother Meadow-Mouse to wash the supper dishes, which rattled in a very homelike way. Long-Tail, Sharp-Eyes, Pink- Ears, and Mouseykins had started droning their lessons for the next day.

Father and Mother Meadow-Mouse wash the dinner dishes.

       "What a wonderfully cheerful place this is," said Grasshopper Green to himself, drowsily. "What beautiful blue furniture-and what a fine red tablecloth-what delightful yellow curtains- and what a good motto hanging over the mantle! 'Do-unto-others-as-you-would-have-them-do-unto-you.'''

       Then Grasshopper Green went fast asleep in the chair.

       Father Meadow-Mouse carried him into the children's room, where there was an old cradle which was about the right size for him, for you see a grown-up Grasshopper is not much bigger than a baby mouse.

       Good Father Meadow-Mouse then covered him up carefully with the very warmest blanket from his own bed. 

Father Meadow Mouse tucks grasshopper into bed.

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