Titty Mouse and Tatty Mouse

Titty Mouse and Tatty Mouse

In a little house lived two mice, Titty and Tatty.

Titty liked to do everything quickly.

Tatty liked to do everything carefully.

One morning they went to a field to gather ears of grain left after the harvest.

Titty found a golden ear.

Tatty found a golden ear.

Both carried their grain home.

“Let us make pudding!” said Titty.

“Let us,” agreed Tatty. “But do not hurry near the hot pot.”

They ground the grain, added milk, a little honey, and a pinch of cinnamon.

Tatty made a little pudding.

Titty made a little pudding.

They put both on to cook.

But Titty hurried as usual.

“I can do it! Quickly!”

She reached for the pot.

It wobbled.

“Titty, careful!”

Tatty pulled her friend back as hot water splashed onto the floor. Titty was not hurt, but her paws became wet and she was badly frightened.

She sat on a bench and sniffled.

Tatty brought a towel and dried her paws.

A three-legged stool beside the stove heard her sigh.

“Tatty, why are you sad?”

“Titty was frightened, water spilled, and the pudding was almost ruined.”

“If Tatty is sad and Titty was frightened, then I will jump!” declared the stool.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

The broom saw this.

“Stool, why are you jumping?”

“Titty was frightened,

Tatty is sad,

so I am jumping!”

“If you are jumping, I will sweep!”

Swish! Swish! Swish!

The broom swept so energetically that flour dust flew toward the door.

“Achoo!” sneezed the door. “Why are you sweeping so wildly?”

“Titty was frightened,

Tatty is sad,

the stool is jumping,

so I am sweeping!”

“Then I will slam!” decided the door.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The window rattled.

“Door, why are you slamming?”

“Titty was frightened,

Tatty is sad,

the stool is jumping,

the broom is sweeping,

so I am slamming!”

“Then I will creak!”

Creak-creak! Creak-creak!

An old garden bench stood beneath the window.

“Window, why are you creaking?”

“Titty was frightened,

Tatty is sad,

the stool is jumping,

the broom is sweeping,

the door is slamming,

so I am creaking!”

“Then I will run around the house!” declared the bench.

Believe it or not, it lifted its four legs and ran.

Thump-thump-thump-thump!

A large nut tree grew beside the house.

“Bench, why are you running in circles?”

The bench shouted:

“Titty was frightened,

Tatty is sad,

the stool is jumping,

the broom is sweeping,

the door is slamming,

the window is creaking,

so I am running!”

The tree thought.

“If everyone is upset, I will drop some leaves!”

Rustle-rustle!

Green leaves swirled through the air.

A little bird sat on a branch.

“Tree, why are you dropping leaves?”

The tree repeated the whole story.

“If leaves are flying, I will make a feather storm!”

The bird cleaned its feathers so energetically that several fluffy ones drifted down.

At that moment a girl walked along the path carrying a jug of milk.

A feather landed on her nose.

“Achoo!”

She nearly dropped the jug.

“Bird, why are you throwing feathers?”

The bird repeated the chain.

The girl looked at the milk.

“If everyone is doing something, then I will...”

She almost poured the milk onto the grass, then stopped.

“Wait. Why should I waste it? My family is waiting for this milk.”

Everyone became quiet.

Even the bench stopped running.

An old craftsman repairing a nearby roof climbed down.

“What is all this commotion?”

The girl explained the whole chain.

“And I decided not to spill the milk.”

“Wise choice,” said the craftsman. “If everyone hears about a problem and creates another problem, soon no one remembers what started it.”

“What did start it?” asked the bench.

“Titty!” remembered the window.

“She was frightened!” said the broom.

“And water spilled!” added the stool.

Everyone hurried into the house.

Titty sat wrapped in a towel.

“I hurried,” she admitted. “Tatty warned me.”

“The important thing is that you are safe,” said the craftsman. “Now instead of one huge fuss, let each of us do one small useful thing.”

The stool stopped jumping and stood by the table.

The broom calmly swept the floor.

The door stopped slamming and opened to let out steam.

The window stopped creaking and let in fresh air.

The bench returned beneath the nut tree.

The tree stopped dropping leaves.

The bird collected dry twigs for its nest.

The girl delivered the milk and came back to help.

The craftsman checked that the pot stood safely.

Titty and Tatty started their puddings again.

This time Titty did not hurry.

“First, oven mitts.”

“Correct,” said Tatty.

“Then hold the handles firmly.”

“Correct.”

“And never move a hot pot alone.”

“Very correct.”

Soon two little puddings were ready.

Titty made a pudding.

Tatty made a pudding.

And both sat down to eat.

The stool stood quietly.

The broom rested.

The door did not slam.

The window did not creak.

The bench did not run.

The nut tree rustled softly.

The bird sang.

When Titty tried to swallow a spoonful too quickly, Tatty merely raised an eyebrow.

Titty stopped, blew on the spoon, and said:

“All right, all right. I remember. Not everything has to be done faster than everyone else.”

And everyone agreed.

May this story leave a little light in your heart ✨