Mivelly Mouse And The Pumpkin Seeds
A Story For the young,
and the young at heart
Or read it below.
In which Mivelly delivers the pumpkin seeds to his mother.
“Some creatures are fluffy, some covered in scales. Some creatures are slimy and gross! In all of the world’s not a creature as fair as the prickly hedgehogs verbose!”
Fabio’s voice rang out louder than necessary as the wagon bumped along behind Mivelly.
“Although they’re not cuddly, they’re jolly and sweet! And dashingly handsome to boot! In all of the meadows and flowering fields are the hedgehogs both cunning and cute!”
His heart filled with delight from having sung his favorite song, Fabio scuttled along behind Mivelly in high spirits.
The path before them began to get rough, and the wagon bounced along over potholes and between ruts. Mivelly’s stomach continued to growl, and he quickened his pace. The sooner he could get home, the sooner he could eat something.
Fabio, who hadn’t expected the acceleration, began to lag behind.
“Mivelly?” Fabio shouted, though not so loud as before. “Do you think we could stop for a minute?”
Mivelly obliged and Fabio sat down on the side of the path, huffing and puffing.
“Why are you going so fast?”
“I’m hungry.” Mivelly said. “I want to get home so I can have lunch!”
“Oh.” Fabio grinned. “That makes sense. Don’t you think we should go a little slower so we don’t lose any seeds?”
“They haven’t fallen out yet, have they?” Mivelly said. “I think they’ll be fine.”
“Whatever.” Fabio puffed. “But if the wagon tips over, don’t blame me!”
Once Fabio caught his breath, they continued on toward Mivelly’s home. As the wagon kept bouncing over potholes, Fabio became increasingly concerned about the well being of his arrowhead. Eventually he picked it up and carried it along on his shoulder.
They turned another corner, and now walked beside the stream that rippled and gurgled happily. From the trees above, there came a rustling noise. Fabio looked up, but there was nothing there. Soon the rustling came from a bush. Again, Fabio looked and saw nothing.
“Mivelly, I think we’re being followed.”
“Really?” Mivelly said, slowing to a halt. “I haven’t seen anyone for ages.”
“I think they’re hiding in the trees and the bushes.”
“Don’t be silly, Fabio.” Mivelly chided. “No one’s following us.”
Mivelly started off again. But as he did, he noticed that the bushes did rustle slightly, and he caught a glimpse of a fluffy brownish gray go streaking through the branches.
“You know, Fabio.” Mivelly said. “I think you might be right about someone following us.”
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“I thought I was just being silly.” Fabio scoffed.
“I think I know who it is too.” Mivelly whispered.
“Who?” Fabio whispered back.
Before Mivelly could answer, someone screamed, “Aaaaaaaaahhhh!” and that brownish gray bundle of fur came crashing down just in front of them.
“Louis!?” Fabio exclaimed. “What are you doing?”
The squirrel sat dazed from his unplanned decent. He stayed there in the middle of the path for a few seconds, trying to pull himself together enough to answer the hedgehog.
“Fancy meeting you guys here!”
“Sure.” Mivelly said. “We know you’ve been following us.”
Louis grinned a silly little grin.
“Perhaps, but I’ve got a really good reason for it.”
“Oh yeah? What’s that?” Fabio demanded.
“I’m in need of some pumpkin seeds myself, and I was hoping that you might be able to spare a few. That is what you’re hauling in that wagon, right?”
Mivelly looked at the wagon heaped full of pumpkin seeds. He looked at Louis’s pleading eyes. He looked at Fabio, who was looking down at his feet to avoid making eye contact with Louis.
“I guess we have plenty.” Mivelly said. “You can have some.”
“Woo hoo!” Louis shouted. “Thanks Mivelly, you’re the best!”
With this, Louis scampered over to the wagon and began filling his cheeks with as many seeds as he could stuff into is mouth. Once his mouth was completely packed, he sputtered something that Mivelly assumed was either another thank you or a goodbye, and raced up the side of the nearby poplar. Then he sped away along the branches toward his home.
“I’m glad he’s not a chipmunk!” Fabio exclaimed, as he watched the squirrel disappear among the branches of the distant trees. “We’d have nothing left!”
“Let’s get the rest of these seeds to mama before a chipmunk does show up!” Mivelly said.
It was not much longer before they could see the house. Mivelly, who’s stomach was truly empty, sprinted shouting,
“We’re almost there!”
The wagon rattled and bounced furiously behind the enthusiastic little mouse. The hedgehog huffed and puffed behind the wagon.
Mama, who had just taken a fresh blueberry pie from the oven, was startled when the front door burst open. A breathless mouse, accompanied by an even more breathless hedgehog, stumbled inside and plopped down on the couch to rest.
“Goodness Mivelly!” Mama exclaimed. “Was something after you?”
“No.” Mivelly puffed. “I just wanted to get home.”
“I see.” Mama smiled. “Did you find any pumpkin seeds?”
“Yeah, a whole wagon full!” Mivelly exclaimed. “Fabio helped me.”
Fabio nodded proudly, though he was still too winded to say anything.
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“I see.” Mama smiled. “Well you two must be pretty hungry then. Let’s get you something to eat.”
Mivelly and Fabio washed their hands as mama set two places at the table and sliced two slices of fresh bread on which she spread butter and strawberry jam. Then she poured two glasses of mint tea.
As Mivelly and Fabio sat down, she ladled out two bowls of vegetable soup from the pot that was simmering on the stove.
Fabio scooped up a spoonful, blew on it softly, and took a bite. The soup was hotter than he’d anticipated, and his eyes grew wide. Quickly dropping his spoon, he took a gulp of mint tea to cool his tongue.
“Careful, it’s hot.” Mama said.
“I know that now.” Fabio grimaced, picking up his slice of bread. “I think I’ll let it cool down for a while.”
As Mivelly and Fabio ate, Mama took a large stock pot and unloaded all of the pumpkin seeds from the wagon into it. She filled the pot with water, and set it on the stove.
“I thought you were going to roast the pumpkin seeds.” Fabio said. “Why are you boiling them?”
Mama smiled. “I have to get the slimy stuff off of the outsides of the seeds.”
“Oh.” Fabio said.
“Maybe you should jump in there too.” Mivelly giggled.
“It’s not my fault I got stuck in the pumpkin.”
Mama’s face had a funny look on it, she was about to ask how Fabio had gotten inside the pumpkin, but Fabio jumped up from his chair,
“What can I do to help?”
“I suppose you could stir this for me.” Mama said.
Fabio pulled a chair over to the stove, stood on top of it, and took the wooden spoon from Mama. He began to stir with all of his might.
“You don’t have to stir that hard, Fabio.” Mama smiled, “Just real gentle will do the trick.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Fabio grinned sheepishly.
He slowed his stirring, and watched the seeds swirl in the water with every whisk of the spoon. Mivelly cleared the table as Fabio stirred, and then went outside to put the wagon away. Staring at the boiling pot Fabio’s mind mind began to wander.
“Do you know if pumpkins digest hedgehogs?”
Mama looked very confused.
“Where did you get that idea?”
“Oh, I was just curios.” Fabio said as nonchalantly as he could. “Just in case a pumpkin ever swallowed me.”
“I see.” Mama smiled. “So how did you get swallowed by the pumpkin?”
Fabio blinked as he looked at Mama, who was smiling back at him.
“He was trying to pry it open and he fell in.” Mivelly, who had just come back inside, said without hesitation. “But Great Uncle Sullivan got him out.”
Mama could tell by the look on Fabio’s face that he wasn’t entirely proud of having been stuck inside the pumpkin. So she said,
“To answer your question, Fabio. No, pumpkins don’t digest hedgehogs.”
“I told you.” Mivelly said.
The water had begun to boil harder now, and Mama took over at the stove. Fabio pushed his chair back to the table. Looking out the window, and seeing the setting sun, he said,
“I’d better be getting home now, thanks for dinner.”
Mama smiled and wished him well. Fabio stepped outside.
“Thanks for letting me help you harvest the pumpkin seeds, Mivelly. I had a lot of fun.”
“Thanks for helping me. Come over tomorrow and I’ll give you some of the roasted seeds.”
Fabio’s eyes gleamed at this offer. He assured Mivelly that he would return bright and early in the morning, and scuttled down the path.
A story for the young, and the young at heart.
Join Mivelly Mouse and Fabio Marcellus Hedgehog as they attempt to harvest the seeds from the very best pumpkin ever.
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Mama finished boiling the pumpkin seeds, and Mivelly helped her toss them in oil and spices. Then they spread them out on trays, while Mivelly told Mama all about the day’s adventures. After a while the front door swung open, and Papa stepped inside just as the first tray finished baking.
“Something smells good in here.” He smiled. “Could it be possible that my little Mivelly brought home some pumpkin seeds?”
Mivelly beamed, and he nodded his head vigorously.
“A whole wagon full!”
Papa’s eyes gleamed too. He strode over to the first tray of pumpkin seeds, and picked one up.
“It’s a little warm, isn’t it.” He tossed the seed back and forth, waiting for it to cool enough to take a bite.
“Mmmmmm.” He said. “I think this is the best pumpkin seed I’ve ever tasted.”
Mivelly’s eyes shone and he knew right then, that all of the day’s troubles were well worth their while.
They finished roasting the seeds as the sun set, and the soft warm glow of fireplaces shone out from the windows of the meadow folks’ homes. Mivelly sat down with a mug of hot cocoa and told Papa all about his day.
Not so far away in an underground home, one Fabio Marcellus Hedgehog held his seven little siblings spellbound as he recounted those same events, albeit a bit embellished.
That evening, as the last rays of sunshine disappeared, both Fabio and Mivelly headed to their beds. As they snuggled under their covers, both the hedgehog and the mouse couldn’t help but feel that all was right with the world.