The Three Little Mice Rewritten and illustrated by Jennifer Gross from the original story written by James Orchard Halliwell-Phillips

There once was a family of mice There once was a family of mice. There were too many mice for the mother to take care of so she sent her three oldest children to go and make a living for themselves.

The first mouse left home and met a duck with a giant fish. “Please give me that fish so that I can build my house!” The Duck agreed and the little mouse built his house out of the giant fish. Later that day, a mean pussy cat came along and scratched at the door. The mean pussy cat meowed:

“Little mouse, little mouse, let me in “Little mouse, little mouse, let me in.” The mouse answered: “No, not by the ears on my silky soft head” The mean pussy cat than shouted: “Fine. Then I’ll chew and I’ll swallow, till your house is gone!”

So the mean pussy cat, chewed and swallowed until the house was gone So the mean pussy cat, chewed and swallowed until the house was gone! The mean pussy cat was still hungry so he ate up the little mouse too.

After hearing the terrible news that the little mouse’s brother was eaten, he was determined to make his house strong. The second tiny mouse met a goat that had milk cartons filled with fresh milk. The mouse asked the man: “Please give me those milk cartons so that I can build my house.” The mouse figured the milk inside could make the house sturdier. The goat gave the mouse the milk to make his house. Soon, the cat strolled along and meowed:

“Little mouse, little mouse, let me in.” The mouse yelled: “No, not by the ears on my silky soft head!” The mean pussy cat shouted: “Fine. Then I’ll lick and I’ll swallow until your house is gone!”

The mean pussy cat licked and swallowed until the mouse’s house was emptied of milk. Then he was able to knock over the milk cartons. The cat was still hungry so he ate up the second mouse.

The third mouse that left home met a rabbit who had a box The third mouse that left home met a rabbit who had a box. After hearing about his brothers, the mouse had a plan. The mouse said: “Please can I have that box to make my home.” The rabbit agreed and gave the mouse the box so that the mouse could build his house. The mean pussy cat came along and meowed:

“Little mouse, little mouse, let me in” The mouse shouted: “No, not by the ears on my silky soft head!” The mean pussy cat is now tired from all the food and milk he ate and drank. The mean pussy cat meowed: “Little mouse, I am quite tired from all the food and milk I ate. I want to come inside and sleep.” The little mouse said again: “No, not by the ears on my silky soft head!” The mean pussy cat said “Then I’ll stretch and I’ll squish until you are trapped and I’ll eat you for a snack.”

The mean pussy cat stretched and squished until he fit nicely into the box. The cat was finally able to sleep.

However, the little mouse was smarter than his brothers and the mean pussy cat. He planned that the cat would be too full to eat him so he got the box so that the cat could sleep in it. When the cat fell asleep, the little mouse was able to sneak out of the back door and close the box. The little mouse than shipped the box to a place that was far, far, away so that the mice would never live in fear again!

The End