The Life and Perambulations of a Mouse — John Shaqi
The Life and Perambulations of a MouseKilner, Dorothy
History
The Life and Perambulations of a Mouse
Kilner, Dorothy
Mice -- Juvenile fiction; Natural history -- Juvenile fiction
After Master Will had continued his employment some little time, he
began to cry, saying, his arms ached ready to drop off, and his hand was
so sore he could not bear it. ‘Then doubtless,’ replied his father, ‘you
would prodigiously like, after you have been labouring all day, to have
your work to do over again, for the sake of diverting a foolish boy. But
go on, William, I am determined that you shall, for one day, know what
it is to work hard, and thereby be taught to pity, and help, not add to
the fatigue of those who do.’ The boy then went on with his business,
though not without making great complaints, and shedding many tears. At
length, however, evening came; and the gentleman, his son, and the two
men, all went away, leaving Longtail and myself to enjoy our abundance.
We passed another night in the sweetest undisturbed repose, and in the
day had nothing to alarm our fears. In short, our situation was every
way so perfectly happy and desirable, that we thought, although our
mother had charged us not to return frequently to the same place, yet
she could not mean that we should not take up our abode in a spot so
secure and comfortable. We therefore determined to continue where we
were, till we should find some cause for removing. And happy had it been
for us if we had kept to this resolution, and remained contented when we
had everything requisite to make us so. Instead of which, after we had
thus, free from care, passed our time about seven months, like fools as
we were, we began to grow weary of our retirement, and of eating nothing
but the same food; and agreed that we would again venture forth and seek
for some other lodging, at the same time resolving, in case we could
find no habitation that suited us, to return to the barn where we had
enjoyed so many days of plenty and repose.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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