No, you didn’t find the wrong blog. This is still The Farm Wyfe blog. I’ve just decided to finally share one of the stories I’m always telling our children. They’re kids and they don’t always listen so sometimes, rather than getting upset, I just tell them a story with the message I want to get across woven throughout it.
I am pretty nervous about publishing this on the blog because I care what you think and I want you to like everything I write! I would greatly appreciate your opinion on this children’s story. Does it hold your interest? Do your children like it? Is the ending appropriate or does it horrify you? Is there an alternative ending you think children would like more that still gets the message across?
A Lesson In Obedience
Deep in the forest lived a small family of mice–a mama, a daddy, and four little mice. They made their cozy home in the bottom of a hollowed out pine tree that towered above all the other trees.
Inside, their mother bustled about sweeping and tidying her kitchen. She shooed the four mice outside encouraging them to enjoy the sunshine while they could. The mice needed no other urging. They scampered out for a game of capture the flag–the boys against the girls. Laughter rang out as they raced from one end of their cleared out hollow to the other, trying to outwit one another and capture the flag to proudly boast of their victory in the winning fort.
In the midst of their playing, Mama Mouse scurried out calling their names one by one, “Aspen. Hazel. Perry. Maple.”
She warned them, “The wise owl has seen evidence of a panther lurking nearby. Play outside only when the sun is shining and I am nearby.”
She gathered her skirts and made her way over to their garden. Unlatching the rickety gate, she slipped in to pick vegetables for their soup that evening. Tomatoes. Peppers. Squash. Celery. One by one, she gently tugged them each off the plants, then dropped them in her apron’s pockets.
“Children,” she called, “Come in and wash up for supper.”
Four darling little mice turned and raced inside to follow their mother’s commands.
“I didn’t see a panther, Mama,” squeaked little Maple.
“Neither did I,” mused Mother. “That doesn’t mean there wasn’t danger. Keep close to the house and play outside only when I am with you,” she reminded them.
Days passed without any danger and Aspen grew tired of coming inside every time his mother told him to. One day, he whispered to his brother, “Nothing’s happened. There’s no panther and I want to stay outside longer.”
His brothers eyes widened and he whispered back, “No, Aspen, come inside when Mama calls us.”
Hours later, Mama called them in and three little mice ran to do her bidding. At the door, Perry turned to see Aspen swinging from a nearby grapevine. He jerked his head back and forth, silently warning Perry to keep quiet.
Moments later Mama flung open the front door, calling, “Aspen! Aspen Spruce Mouse! You come in here this instant!”
Aspen hung his head as he slunked past her. “Nothing happened,” he mumbled. “There’s no panther out there.”
Mama sent him to bed with no supper that evening. His belly growled all night long and in the morning, he was famished. He promised his mother to obey next time as she slid a bowl of porridge across the table to him.
Later that afternoon, when Mama called them in, Aspen forgot his promise. He even managed to convince his little brother, Perry, to play outside longer. That evening, two little mice were sent to bed without supper.
The next day, when Mama called them in, she turned and walked back inside, expecting them to follow. They were good kids, well-loved by their parents and the other forest creatures and usually obedient.
Not this time. Four little mice played just outside the shade of their pine tree in the warm sunshine. Minutes passed and they crept further away, under the dark canopy of the deep forest.
Unknown to them, another set of eyes watched them from above. He had watched them for days, just waiting for the perfect time. He stealthily jumped from tree to tree, keeping the mice within view. He waited until they were unaware, laughing and swinging arms around and around. They leaned in toward each other and—-
He pounced. In one fell swoop, all four mice landed in his mouth. Moments later, a satisfied smile rested on his face. Mama Mouse poked her head out calling again, “Aspen! Hazel! Perry! Maple!”
She glanced in his direction and horror flashed across her face. She saw the panther with four little tails hanging out of his mouth.
“Nooooooooooo,” she screamed. He turned, fleeing into the darkness. Creatures of the forest ran at the cry of alarm and only minutes later she was surrounded by loved ones. But not the ones she loved most dearly. It was too late.
Because of their penchant for playfulness and their act of disobedience, the four little mice were swallowed into the belly of the Panther and never seen again.