3

On this stormy day, when she was off being forgotten, Les was thinking about how nice it would be to have a name. She was in the cottage pretending she was the lady of the house, ordering people around, being waited on hand and foot, enjoying compliments of society, when a bean fell from an upstairs roof on the floor right in front of her. It crashed down so loudly and suddenly that she jumped back cupping her ears and stepped on a mouse. This too frightened the girl and she jumped back the other way, and fell over the beam, hitting her head on the ground and losing consciousness.

When the girl again opened her eyes, she could tell some time had passed, for it was the light of sunrise that now filled the room and it no longer sounded like rain. She made an attempt to sit up, her legs still elevated by the beam, she had trouble trying to right herself. When she finally go a good grip on the beam, and was about to hoist herself up, she caught a glimpse between her feet. There, staring directly at her was the mouse, as if he was waiting for her. Before she could react any further, she again passed out, because the mouse had begun to speak.