Seeing agreement from eh girl’s nod, the mouse began. “Many
years ago, the wizard worked for a sorceress, as an apprentice. He was not
nearly as powerful then. This sorceress lived in that large castle on the other
side of town. (The one currently occupied by the royal family’s daughter.)
During his apprenticeship he fell madly in the love with the sorceress. But she
did not share his adoration. He knew this, and tried to hide his love for her,
for despite his love, he knew her temperament. It was short, to be sure. He
learned all he could from her, and soon was set out to continue his education
on his own. He soon set up shop and hired a young assistant. Me.
7
The girl was certainly confused now. His fate? What could he
have done to deserve a fate of living as a mouse? What would happen to her
father? Could he do something that would resign him to this sort of fate as
well?
The mouse’s smile fell from his face as he saw the worry
spread over the girl’s. “My dear girl, I’m sorry I’ve upset you.” He said in
earnest. “But I continue to assure you that I am content as a mouse, and what
sins I have committed in the past are there in the past where they belong. You
have nothing to fear from me. I cannot, nor do I wish to, harm you.”
The girl attempted to smile. “I do not want to seem rude,
but I do not exactly fear you. It’s the wizard you spoke of that concerns me, for
I know the man well.” She paused a moment, the mouse didn’t even flinch at this
news, so she continued on past the subject. “Do you mind if I inquire as to
what it is you have done?”
It was so strange to see this tiny mouse reacting with the
same mannerisms as a human would. Les began to forget that she’d asked the
question while watching him that she was surprised when he responded. “Since
you asked politely I will tell you the tale, if you’d like.”
6
The girl looked at the mouse blankly, and almost as if she
expected further explanation. The mouse simply continued to smile up at her.
After this long silence, which was quickly becoming awkward, the girl shifted
to a more comfortable sitting position. Finally she responded. “Yes, but most
mice don’t speak, at least not audibly. And isn’t it odd that you say you were
a child? Do mice refer to their young as children? Also… most mice, to my
knowledge, don’t’ wear clothes, much less shoes.”
The mouse cleared his tiny throat. “By that logic, we can
deduce that I am not a normal mouse then.” He waited for a response. She nodded
ascension. He continued. “I’m sure you’ve supposed by now, that I have not
always been a mouse. In that; you would be correct. I once worked as an
assistant to Bromney the wizard. He changed me into a mouse.” The girl was
surprised and frightened by this news. Bromney was the wizard for whom her own
father was now an assistant. The mouse noticed her surprised, and mistook it.
“No my dear, I must assure you. It’s alright. I have now been a mouse for so
long, I’m not sure I could function as a human anymore. And I’m sure I deserve
my fate.”
5
This talking mouse, wearing trousers and a sport coat, was
also wearing little shoes, shirt and a hat. Actually, he was holding the little
hat in his tiny mouse hands. Seeing the confusion spreading over the girls
face, the mouse remembered himself and said earnestly; “My dear girl, you did
have quite a fall, and you did hit your head awful hard. But let me assure you,
I am real, and I am really speaking to you.” He waited for his words to sink
in.
“Ummm, you’re wearing shoes.” The girl said hesitantly. At
which the mouse looked down and agreed with her.
“Yes, yes I am.”
“That’s nice.” Was all the girl could say. This was all very
strange. In all her thinking, she never thought a mouse would talk, and this
simply baffled her. “Do you mind if I sit up, sir mouse?” she asked, and he
responded by quickly climbing down onto the beam. The girl then scooted back,
righted herself and looked at the mouse from where she at. After a few moments
the girl continued; “So… you can talk. Have you always been able to talk?” She
queried nervously.
The mouse smiled. “I have been able to talk since I was
taught as a child.”
4
The mouse frowned up at the unconscious girl. He’d only said
hello. She’d stepped on him, and that had caused her to fall. He’d only wanted
to apologize for being in the way. Though Les didn’t know it, the mouse lived
in the cottage and watched her when she came. To be quite honest, the mouse had
become quite fond of the girl, and enjoyed her presence when she visited. She
was, after all, the only human interaction he had anymore.
The girl began to stir again, so the mouse crept closer to
her, he crawled over the beam and sat on the girl’s chest, waiting for her to
open her eyes. Slowly the girl did open her eyes, and brought herself into
focus. Her brow knit as she focused on the mouse.
“Don’t be afraid.” He said. “I mean you no harm, young one.”
The girl just blinked in reply. What do you say to a mouse
that speaks to you, telling you to not be afraid? Instead, she continued to
stare at the mouse, barely breathing, and thinking; how can this be. As she
stared she began to notice things. Things such as; the mouse’s trousers and
sport coat. This talking mouse was dressed.
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.
2
Les was a sweet girl, hardly getting into trouble, usually
avoiding conflict, rarely ever later. She mostly wore a smile and very nearly
never had to raise her voice. Well liked by all, and favored by none. She went
through life as a shadow. Remarked upon when she was around and enjoyed when
present, but otherwise forgotten. Les didn’t mind this, it gave her reason to
be alone and think. Nobody knew this, but she was a great thinker. She thought
long and often on so many different things. She’d spend time thinking about ht
grass, or the people in the towns or even the stars and the sky and all of
those things she couldn’t wrap her head around. Her favorite place to go and
think was an abandoned cottage built of stone on the other side of town. It was
always so lush and green there, and was full of mystery and wonder. The walls
were falling down and the floors creaked and had holes in them. Parts of the
roof were missing and the door was falling from its hinges. But it was a quiet,
pretty place where she could go when she was forgotten; to think.
1
Once upon a time, in a land far far away on a dark and
stormy night, there lived a beautiful princess in an enchanted castle. On the
other side of town there was another girl about the princess’s age, who was
also quite pretty. She, however, did not live in n enchanted castle. The girl
lived in a small home dug into the side of a hill. She lived in this modest
home with her father and older brother, Fence. The girl’s father was an
assistant to the town wizard, and was sometimes mistaken for an apothecary. You
may have noticed; the girl does not have a name. How strange you may say, but
it is quite true, each person who knew her called her by a different name. The
wizard called her Tawanda, her father called her Oak, her brother called her Florence
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