The Three Wild Mice

Three young mice bound down the hallway to their bedroom as I followed them with my story book under my arm. The youngest turned back to me and began walking backwards, “Grandpa please read us the story of the three wild mice tonight. Please please please.”

I laughed, “So read you three the same story I've read for the past two months. What say you other two? Do you want to hear the story again?” They both turned their heads and nodded. I shook my head smiling, “Alright then The Three Wild Mice it is.”

We got to the childrens bedroom and they threw open the door all jumping into the bed at once. They fought and wrestled for the coveted middle spot before the eldest finally wedged himself in and won the war. I took a seat in a chair at the end of the bed as the children pulled their blankets over themselves and snuggled in. Once everyone was in and silent I opened my book to near the end where a well worn book mark sat. I carefully removed the mark and adjusted my glasses before speaking, “The Three Wild Mice, a tale of the three bravest mice to ever live.

Once upon a time right here in our barn there lived three mice. An all white one who had escaped from the human house and came here. His name was Rocant.” The youngest of my grandchildren let out a small squeak at the mention of his name. “An all black mouse who had braved the fields and its monstrous machines to come here. His name was Mouter.” The middle child squeaked at his name being mentioned. “Finally a brown mouse named Rasem who had lived in this barn already." The eldest squeaked at his own name.

I grinned at the children before continuing, “These three mice upon meeting each other became fast friends and went off on many adventures together. They could often be spotted leaving early in the mornings and not coming back till the moon was out. When they would come back they would tell grand stories of their adventures. How they battled snakes, spiders, and even hawks while they roamed around. No one ever believed them but everyone always listened to their stories for if nothing else they were entertaining.

However one day the elder of the barn told the three mice that until they provided proof of their feats they were no longer to tell such stories. The three mice agreed to these terms and left the next day telling everyone to look outside when the sun was at its highest point. When the time came all the other mice went and looked outside to see a most spectacular sight. The three mice were hopping around a black snake poking at it with sharpened bits of wood. The snake kept trying to strike them but its aim was always slightly off. Soon the snake fled in defeat and the three mice turned to the barn calling out, ‘This is what we do everyday as we wander the fields. Now you know that what we speak is truth. May we go back to telling our stories?’ The elder could do nothing but nod in shock."

My middle grandchild Mouter spoke up, “Why did they have to prove themselves to all the other mice? Is it really so incredible that three mice could fight a snake?”

I cocked an eyebrow and stared at him, “If you had never heard this story would you believe three mice who just claimed to fight a giant snake and won?” The three children puzzled about this for a moment then sheepishly shook their heads. “Exactly. Now no more interruptions at least for a little while please.”

The three children nodded and I coughed clearing my throat before starting again, “Of course now the three wild mice were hailed as heroes. Though of course they were questioned as to why they were fighting the snake in the first place. They informed the mice of the barn that there were many animals on the outside who wanted to eat the mice. So they left the barn to go fight away all the creatures who wanted to harm the mice of the barn. With this the title of The Three Wild Mice was bestowed upon them.

Day in and day out they left the barn and fought away all the great terrors. Life was good in the barn and many mice were born. However this brought a brand new threat to the barn. A great barn owl.” All three of my grandchildren shivered in fear and burrowed further into their bed as if to hide from the owl. “The barn owl had come because he had heard there were many mice in the barn. He had heard this from all the other animals whom the three mice had defeated. So a deal was struck that if the barn owl could kill the three mice he would get half of the mice in the barn.

The barn owl was a great beast standing over thirty mice tall with large wings that made no noise when it flew. The humans of the barn thought the owl was beautiful because of the heart on its face and its speckled coloration of mostly brown with splotches of white. Its head could swivel in any direction it wanted and its talons were sharp enough to rip up wood. Immediately upon moving in all the mice of the barn hid for fear of the great beast.

The three mice devised a plan to battle the owl and drive it from the barn. They knew they would have to strike during the day for that was when the owl slept. However its hearing was so sharp that it could hear the rustle of a mouse's whiskers at a hundred paces away. The three mice constantly would probe at the owl's defenses in an attempt to deprive it of sleep and wear it down. All they did though was wear themselves down, no matter what the three mice did the owl never seemed perturbed.

One day though they didn't come to harass the owl. The owl took this day and rested. The next day they didn't come again and it began to grow suspicious. So it didn't sleep that day at all and just watched the little mouse holes waiting for any mouse to come out but none did. The owl decided he would listen in on the mice so he silently flew and landed above one of the mouse holes and listened closely. He could hear the three wild mice telling all the other mice that hope was lost. They couldn't drive the owl away so they would have to leave tomorrow to try and find a new home. The owl was elated to hear this news and when night came he left the barn to tell all the other predators what would happen tomorrow.

As morning came the owl returned to the barn as it always did. Today though it would not rest for today it got to feast. The owl watched the mouse holes and strained its ears listening for the other predators. It was so distracted listening to the outside it did not hear Rasem leaping from a rafter above it. It did notice the landing and the pinprick in the back of its neck from Rasem's splinter. Immediately the owl screeched and began flapping its wings frantically. In its confusion it did not see or even feel the other two leaping onto its legs and stabbing both of them before crawling into its plumage.

Try as it might, the owl couldn't dislodge the three mice who held tight to the owl. They bit, stabbed, and plucked at the owl's feathers. Suddenly they all leapt off and began a mad dash for their home. The owl now in a rage took off after them but now it couldn't fly straight and it crashed into the side of the barn falling to the ground. Before it could right itself at all the three mice pounced on it and placed their splinters at the owl's eyes. Rasem now spoke, ‘Leave this barn at once and never return. If you do, we'll take your eyes and pluck you bald. What say you?’

The owl stared at the splinters in front of its eyes and screeched, ‘You have bested me this day mice but a day will come where you won't protect this barn. When that day comes I'll be back to have my feast. Now I will take my leave.’ With that the mice leapt off and the owl flew away. From that day forward the barn lived in peace with the protection of the three wild mice.”

I closed my book now smiling to myself. As per normal the children had fallen asleep during the last paragraph. I made sure they were all snug in the bed and carefully crept my way out of the room, closing the door quietly behind me. As I walked my way to my own room for the evening I heard the faintest sound of a screech in the air.

This is another one of those stories where I feel like I could make a book out of it if I really wanted. We'll have to see what happens once I have other projects done. I hope you enjoyed this story. If you did then please heart, subscribe, and feel free to leave a tip. You can now also pledge three dollars a month to me and help support me as a creator. If you do, you get the benefit of having my stories at the top of you subscription feed anytime I post something new. Till next time.