Monday, 30 October 2023

Pumpkin Mice Tales

 

Pumpkin Mice Tales

The Pumpkin Mice liked their home on the Tower. They especially liked the little children who passed by every day, chattering with their friends and their mothers. Then, suddenly, the little children stopped coming. The Pumpkin Mice were puzzled and sad and wondered if they had done something wrong. They didn’t think they had but there was no-one they could ask.

One day they saw a mother with a little child and overheard her saying, ‘Half-term’s nearly over. Back to school next week.’ The little child began to cry, saying, ‘I don’t want to. I don’t like school.’ The mother said, ‘You’ll be fine. You’ll like it when you see all your friends again.’ They wandered off, the little child still sniffling.

The Pumpkin Mice were sorry for the little child but there wasn’t anything they could do and then something rather strange happened which drove out all thoughts of grizzling little children. Coming out of their pumpkins one morning they noticed that there was a sort of umbrella over them. That was nice because it kept the rain off but it felt odd. The umbrella, if that’s what it was, moved. It had eight red and black hairy poles and when they skittered outside the shelter of the umbrella and looked up they saw that it was red and black and had a big smiley face, so they weren’t afraid. You can’t be frightened of a smile.


The mothers and children began to walk past again every day. ‘Oh, look,’ said one mother, ‘There’s a big spider on the pumpkins now.’

‘Will it eat the mice?’ asked her little child.

 ‘No, no,' said the mother. It’s a friendly spider. Goodness, look at the time. We must hurry or you’ll be late.’

The Pumpkin Mice looked at each other. ‘Spider,’ they said, trying out the new word. The smallest mouse, Little Grey, asked, ‘Where is the time? The mother told the little child to look at it, but I can’t see it anywhere. What does it look like?’

Big Brown Mouse, the oldest and wisest of the Pumpkin Mice, said, ‘Don’t worry about it. It’s a thing that humans fret over and nothing to concern us.’

Then White Mouse with the exceedingly long and beautiful green tail said, ‘I heard one of the mothers telling her little child that the clocks went back on Sunday. Where did the clocks go back to? And why?’

 Big Brown Mouse sighed. ‘The clocks don’t actually go anywhere. They stay right where they are. The humans just reorganise the hours to make the most of the sunlight in the mornings. It means that night falls earlier.’

The Pumpkin Mice had noticed that big orange pumpkins were appearing on the doorsteps and in the windows of the houses nearby. They wondered why and then they saw them all lit up one night and the street around their tower was filled with lots of children, little and big, dressed up in strange clothes and going from house to house. 

In their hands they carried small baskets and some of the bigger children had torches that they shone to show them the path. One or two of them held their torches under their chins and that made them look scary. Tiny Grey, Small Brown and Little White were frightened but Big Brown Mouse told them to be brave. ‘They don’t want to hurt us. They’re trick-or-treating because it’s Hallowe’en’ and before any of them could ask any more questions, Big Brown Mouse said, ‘It’s bed-time, Mousekins. Good night.’

18 comments:

  1. I love your story and I really love all the crocheted pillar box tops that you show us.

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    1. I hope that whoever makes them continues to do so. They make everyone's life brighter.

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  2. Some of the little mousekins look a bit dejected - has it been raining heavily on their little ears?

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    1. We have has some heavy downpours. Obviously, the mousekins didn't get under shelter quickly enough.

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  3. Hi Janice, what a delightful story, it made me laugh. Are all of the pillar boxes dressed up for Halloween? The children must love it! How is Jellicoe doing now with his blood-glucose levels? Hugs, Rose x

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    1. This is the only pillar box I've seen decorated - it's very local to us. Jellicoe's levels are still a little unstable but he's fine in himself, Rose, thank you.

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  4. That's absolutely delightful, thank you so much. xx

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  5. Lovely story but I'm not so sure about that spider - he looks rather large and the grin is evil!

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    1. You may well be right, Sue - I'm so gullible ;-)

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  6. I hope they don't shrink in the rain!

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  7. What a delightful story, Janice! I guess all these human habits are a lot to take in for the mousekins! xxx

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    1. The ways of the humans are too mysterious for mousekins. x x x

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  8. Good for you doing those blood tests. I don't like blood -argh. I hope he's better soon.

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    1. He's happy and lively. We're just hoping his glucose levels stabilise again.

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