Deep within the ground, a small round room made of dirt and roots and twigs had been created in the late fall. Now, it was well into winter, with snow piling up in the woods.
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| 📸by MDC Staff MO Dept of Conservation |
Above on the ground stirred life. Birds searching for seeds, flitting amongst the limbs of frozen trees. A fox bounded, jumping here, jumping there, in search of a mole or two. Deer quietly trotted along, sniffing and nibbling amongst the bushes.
Risky, the little brown mouse, deep in the ground, within his small round room, stirred. A little hunger pang rumbled through his tummy. His eyes, blinking awake, opened fully. “Oh, no,” he thought. “Is it time to go find some food?” Again a little hunger pang responded, keeping the little brown mouse awake. “Perhaps I should stir a bit outside, but no, it is much too cozy here.” Risky closed his eyes and readjusted his round little body into a tighter circle.
A loud rumble from his tummy startled him again. “My goodness! I’ll never get to sleep if I stay hungry! I must take a trip away from my warm, cozy, small round room and venture outside into the cold, scary, large spacious world where there is hopefully food for me.”
So the little brown mouse named Risky, yawned and stretched. He cleaned his little paws and brushed his back and tail. He licked his paws and cleaned his ears (he learned that from watching cats! Hee-hee!) Wide awake and with another pang of hunger hollering to remind him of his task, he climbed up the tunnel to the ground level.
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| 📸 by Hanna Knuttson, Flickr |
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| 📸 Theresa M |
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| 📸 by Yvonne Huijbens, pixabay |
Bravely, he crawled out onto the snow, and darted hither and thither searching for seeds and crumbs, and whatever else was edible.
The little brown mouse named Risky was brave indeed, as he darted and dashed among the wintry landscape. He was much smaller than most of his fellow diners, so he had to be extra careful to not become someone’s dinner.
After getting his tummy full, Risky popped back into the hole in the ground and tunneled down to the small round room made of dirt and roots and twigs. He cleaned his little paws and brushed his back and tail. He once again licked his paws and cleaned his face (just like he learned from watching cats!). Satisfied, he curled up into a brown, soft furry ball. He closed his eyes. He fell asleep.
Quiet was the night, without a rumbling sound. The little brown mouse named Risky made it safely through another day.
Moral of the story: To risk your life for a need is to live a life indeed. May comfort follow.
Theresa M
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| 📸 pixabay |
