Once a Mouse

Grade 4, Henry Houch Elementary School, Lebanon, Pennsylvania

One day a hermit sat thinking about big and little. Suddenly he saw a mouse about to be eaten up by a crow. He hurried to help the poor little animal, and ripping him form the crow's greedy beak, he carried him off to his hut in the forest, where he comforted him with a jug of milk and grains of rice.

But look! A cat came into the yard with whiskers straight and tail held high. The hermit was mighty at magic as well as at prayer. When he saw the danger threatening his little pet, he quickly changed him into a cat.

That night a dog barked in the forest. The poor cat ran to hide under the bed. The hermit wasted no time in thinking about how big or so big, and changed the cat into a big dog.

Not long after that, a hungry tiger was prowling in the forest, and leaped on the dog. Fortunately, the hermit was nearby, and with a zig-zag gesture, he changed the dog into a handsome, royal tiger.

Now, imagine the pride of that tiger! All day long he peacocked about the forest, and was extra mean to the other animals.

The hermit missed none of this and quickly scolded the beast. "Without me you would be a wretched little mouse, that is if you were still alive. There is no need to act like you are better than every other creature."

The tiger felt very angry. He forgot all the nice thinks he had received from the old man. "No one shall tell me that I was once a mouse. I will kick that old man!"

The hermit read the tiger's mind. "You are ungrateful! Go back to the forest and be a mouse again!"

The proud and handsome tiger was turned back into a frightened, humble, little mouse that ran off into the forest and was never seen again...

...and the hermit sat thinking about big and little.