Week 1 Storytelling: The Mouse Who Learned a Lesson

Penelope was a mouse; she lived in a cabin in the woods. One day her cousin Margaret the Mouse came and visited Penelope in her cabin in the woods. Penelope was a Country Mouse and had spent days preparing the meal they would eat that day. Waiting on the rock, that was her table, was what Penelope considered a feast. She served acorns, grass, and some of her other favorite delicacies she found around the woods. Margaret only ate a little of the food that was in front of her, and Penelope could tell that she did not like it very much.

Throughout the meal Margaret chatted on and on about her life in the city. You see, Margaret was a City Mouse she lived in one of the finest apartments that money could buy. Penelope started to become jealous that even though she worked so hard she did not have all the wonderful things that Margaret talked about. She had never heard about air conditioning or showers before.

They went to sleep that night nestled in some warm grass. The next morning Penelope asked Margaret if she could go with her to visit her apartment. Margaret was so happy to say yes and get back to her warm showers. When they arrived at Margaret’s Pent House the footman greeted them at the door. The footman Benny the Raccoon promptly opened the door for them and ushered them inside and carried all their belongings. Margaret had never seen such splendor in her life. When they made it all the way to the top Margaret never said thank you to Benny for his help and yelled at him to put the bags down and leave.

Finally, they walked into the kitchen and Penelope saw a feast of no comparison being set out on the table by Margaret’s cook Francine the French Bulldog. Francine immediately asked them to sit down and enjoy the meal. The first thing out of Margaret’s mouth was something rude, telling Francine that she messed up the whole meal. Penelope was very confused why Margaret would be so mean to someone who was helping her.  Throughout the night Margaret was very rude to everyone that worked for her. Penelope felt very sad; even though Margaret had a beautiful house she was a mean person.

(Two Bad Mice: Wikipedia)

As Penelope was leaving in a hurry that night she took the time to say one last thing to Margaret.

“Even though I don’t have what you have and I have to work for what I do have, I never treat those around me without respect,” she said as she scurried home to her cabin.

Author’s Note. This story was based on the fable called TheTown Mouse and the Country Mouse. The original story has a Town Mouse that visits a Country Mouse. The Town Mouse does not really like what the Country Mouse provides for dinner, or her living situation. That night the Country Mouse dreams about all the luxuries the Town Mouse has, and the next day is asked by the Town Mouse to visit her place. When they arrive they sit down to a nice feast but are soon interrupted by the meow of a Cat, and rush to find some hiding place where they stayed for a long time. They later came out to see the servants and the House Dog come into the room. The Country Mouse was very afraid and left the place saying she would rather have nothing and be safe than have luxuries and be in danger. My version of this story was similar because I talked about two mice that lived in the city and country and visited each other. But I decided that they would be the owners of their own places, essentially getting rid of humans in the story. When the City Mouse Margaret describes her place, Penelope gets jealous that she does not have those luxuries. When they travel to the city Penelope see how rude Margaret is and that she is not appreciative of the things she has. In the end instead of the normal ending Penelope understands how it is important to treat people with respect.

Bibliography: Aesop for Children, The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse, by (anonymous), illustrated by Milo Winter (1919)