Mingle the Mouse

In the Old Briar Wood
Where green things grew
There lay a small burrow
The size of a shoe

Inside of the burrow
Lived five little mice
Their home was quite cosy
Though lacking in light

The Mother and Father
Were wed by the sea
And striving together
Had parented three

Mingle and Thimble
And Poppy were they
"The sweetest of mice"
Their parents would say

Mingle, the oldest,
Often stared wistfully
Perched at the door
While his siblings played blissfully

He was their elder
By only one day
Yet thought himself
Quite a bit wiser than they

His Mother and Father
Did worry at times
Never quite knowing
The thoughts on his mind

One day when their parents
Had gone to find food
A bird fluttered by
Bearing wonderful news

"A feast has been thrown
In the city of men
I share this glad tiding
So all may attend

The city is truly
A sight to behold
With white-washed walls
And gates of gold

The folk are all wholesome
And smell like sweet roses
They ready fine flavours
And scents for our noses"

Mingle the mouse
Was cheerful indeed
For tired he was
Of sunflower seed

He pondered no longer
Than a moment at most
Rising in haste
And forgetting his coat

His brother and sister
Were eager to follow
But Mingle was sure
They'd receive only sorrow

"That wonderful city
Both sparkles and shines
I doubt they let everyone
Enter to dine

I mean no offence
And that I must stress
Your manners are poor
And your fur is a mess

Lift up your spirits
Do not be so blue
For soon I'll be home
With a mountain of food!"

His kin did protest
But at last did agree
For they too were tired
Of sunflower seed

So Mingle departed
From home and his folk
Leaping o'er brambles
And heading t'ward smoke

With glee in each step
He bounded along
Passing through woodland
Throat full of song

Mingle gave no thought to it
But sang he did too loud
Such a tiny mouse as he
Should never draw a crowd

In a bush beside the road
There lay a cat a-slumb'ring
And when it heard the mouse approach
It growled as clouds a-thundering

The cat lept out from where it slept
Toward the startled mouse
Its maw snapped shut near Mingle's head
Who bounded off with frightened shout

The tabby cat did give him chase
But could not beat young Mingle's pace
The weary cat did turn away
And Mingle spoke from hiding place

"Perhaps tomorrow, not today
For I must go along my way
A feast like this is rare indeed
And I'll be sure to have my feed"

Mingle shook a bit, it's true
Though he enjoyed the thrill of it
He knew his siblings would be keen
To hear a tale so perilous

Off the mouse did set again
Along his merry way
Relishing the thought of treasure
He would find that day

There were breads and jams
Butters and creams
Apples and oranges
Puddings and beans

Such fine food
Was there to be tasted
He had to attend
It could not be wasted

Over a moss-covered log
Under branches
And finally over a hill
Mingle panted

The town was in sight
Good scents on the breeze
He dreamed of delights
More pleasing than cheese

Through gleaming gates
He went with haste
And hungry look
Upon his face

Singing and laughter
Rang out in the sky
The gathering seeming
More sweet than a pie

Mingle was enchanted by the light
Which leapt from latticed glass
And how the stones upon the street
Did sparkle as he passed

He found the lumb'ring people
Rather harmless in their manner
Yet still he kept some distance
Giant feet like falling hammers

He passed a girl in bright blue dress
Clutching a chunk of buttered bread
He asked her where one could be fed
She smiled and shouted "Straight ahead!"

He gave her thanks
And carried on
And heard behind him
Cheerful song

Where she had pointed
There he went
And found a towering
Linen tent

He slid underneath
And leapt on a chair
The feast now in reach
He gazed on the fare

A sea of tables lay before him
Arrayed with countless pleasing things
He knew not where to place his gaze
Apples or crackers, cheese or figs

At the tables sat a host
Of laughing merry-makers
Some were telling epic tales
Others lost in flavour

To Mingle's right there sat a man
Who chuckled, seeming drunk
His beard dipped in his tankard
As he cried "Greetings, little skunk!"

Mingle thought it funny
How the man was so mistaken
He lifted up his little hand
So that it could be shaken

Then came a cook
Three dishes in hand
And spotting young Mingle
She halted his plan

"I do not intend
To seem callous and mean
But ye may not partake
If arriving unclean"

Mingle thought nay
There must be confusion
He was one spotless
Was it delusion?

Swallowing pride
He made his inspection
And found that some dirt
Had evaded detection

Mingle was worrisome
Fearing rejection
So he pled for some soap
To make a correction

The cook did oblige
And soap issued forth
He scrubbed every side
East, West, South, North

And so he was clean
As a new cooking pot
The cook took a look
And gave him a nod

Mingle did sparkle
As crystal in light
And so did he dine
'Til falling of night

There were fruit pies
Red wines
Peaches and plums
Apples and apricots
Crumbles and buns

He cheered and he sang
And heard many tales
Of monsters and men
'Til sleeps call prevailed

And so, feeling wearisome,
Sought out a bed
Lumb'ring along
Feet weighing like lead

His eyes fell at last
On a crack in a wall
He laid down some grass
And curled up in a ball

Passed he did through Slumber's door
Drifting on a pitch-black sea
Whisked away by silken sail
Driven by a frigid breeze

Mingle landed on a shore
More empty than a barren bone
No lonelier land had been before
And on the sand, a tow'ring throne

He thought perhaps he'd sit thereon
To look upon the spotless shore
But felt at once his peace had gone
So scurried off and saw no more

Beyond the beach there lay a gloom
Which bade him fall in deeper sleep
The only lamp to him the moon
And so he stumbled t'ward its gleam

Plodded he through soft and coarse
Knowing not what held his foot
'Til at last, the shadow passed
As though his eyes were rid of soot

There he saw them, 'round about
Kindred all with smiling snout
Skipping 'round a banquet fine
Chewing figs and sipping wine

Though he felt a hunger slight
His own kin were sweeter sight
Bounded he to meet them there
Yet gave they naught but wond'ring stare

"This one has no part with us
Why does he run to meet us so?
Indeed we called him brother once
But now he lacks our blinding glow"

Mingle did recoil in shock
Wincing at their wint'ry words
Feeling as a drop of rain
Swallowed up by careless earth

His pride at last conceded
And he bore a burning shame
For his kindred had he treated
In that self-preferring way

Returned he did to barren shore
Fleeing faces formed in dream
Fearing apathetic eyes
Would be the last he'd ever see

Mingle called to Slumber
Pleading loud for his release
The only sound beside his call
Were waves upon the beach

Strained he did to pierce the gloom
For a pardon swiftly sent
From the dark a boat did loom
As though it heard the mouse repent

A mighty gale did bear him up
Seating Mingle at the helm
Sails did swell with sweeping gust
And bore him hast'ly from the realm

Darkness fled at morn's approach
Mingle's eye caught glimpse of day
Rose he did from grassy cot
And walked toward the city gate

No mind had he for eating
All the crumbs which lay about
His stomach felt quite sickly
So he chose to go without

A morsel seemed as poison
Through the lens of Mingle's shame
He feared that all his kinsfolk
Would now curse his very name

Why, o why, would they rejoice
To see him home again
After his uncaring voice
Tore holes no mouse could mend

As Mingle trudged through quiet streets
And passed the remnants of the feast
He recalled his promise to his kin
That his return would bear a treat

So Mingle took a scrap of cloth
And filled it up with plenty crumbs
Tied it tightly at the top
And on his back, the sack he slung

He passed the gate, and on toward
The grassy fields did go
To the crumbs he tightly clung
As though they were his only hope

Disheartened, Mingle clambered
Over pebbles through the dewy grass
Too gloomy now to keep his tail
From dragging as he passed

His whiskered snout did twitch a bit
When thinking back on yesterday
From his eye, a tear did spring
Which was not wiped away

Just as Mingle thought perhaps
He ought to change his name
And travel to another land
To flee his yolk of shame

He wandered rather thoughtless
Through a tabby cat's domain
'Twas the one from whom he'd fled
Indeed, the very same

The wily cat watched Mingle pass
While sat inside a hollow tree
But appetite did vanish
As he witnessed Mingle drag his feet

"It is not within my nature
To have mercy on a mouse
Yet my will to hunt has left
Upon the sight of sniffling snout"

The mouse was startled from his stupour
Greeted by great, piercing eyes
With fear his feet were firmly rooted
So to the beast he did reply

"Poor Brother mouse and Sister mouse
To them I've spoken ill
And Mother mouse and Father mouse
I've left against their will

For they'd not have me roam about
And this I know quite well
And so, desiring finer things
I left, and did not tell"

The cat did seem quite solemn then
As one recalls a bitter dream
After a while, he gave a sigh
And to the mouse did speak

"When I was but a little cat
Filled with joys of youth
I ne'er remembered places well
Sadly 'tis the truth

One summer night, when moon flew high
My siblings rose with tired eyes
To follow Mother where'er she went
Until the night in full was spent

Yet I was playing with my tail
And did not see my kin depart
Until at last their absence dawned
Upon me in my lonely heart

So I went to search them out
While still the moon was overhead
Proven was that fearful doubt
And under bush I made my bed

If e'er I was to see my folk
I'd run to them with haste
So I pray thee, little mouse
Let not your time be waste"

Mingle bowed and gave his thanks
'Twas truth the cat did speak
His gesture did amuse the cat
Who smiled with shining teeth

And so the mouse did go his way
The cat did go another
And Mingle sighed in great relief
For he had not been supper

He hoped his siblings would not turn
To him a deafened ear
For he had much he wished to tell
Both wonderful and weird

Mingle passed through meadows green
Along his homeward path
Like the wind, he walked unseen
Beneath the wispy grass

He came at last to woodland's edge
Still he stood a while
And watched the sun as down it went
He could not help but smile

If the hills could yet accept
The sun, though it had flown so high
Surely Mingle's kindred could
Forgive his lofty pride

Through the trees wee Mingle tread
And found again the little door
Which hung upon their burrow
In the ancient forest floor

He gave a knock upon the wood
Upright ear observing
And for a moment silence lay
Which Mingle found unnerving

Then a herd of footsteps came
Hast'ly from the earth
Bounding up the burrowed stairs
As if to show his worth

One moment, Mingle felt relief
But soon recalled his fearful figment
An urge to flee beset his feet
Yet seized was every ligament

Poppy and Thimble could be heard
Gladly singing Mingle's name
They knew the knock was his alone
And wished to have him play their games

Inward swung the aged portal
Creaking on its birchen frame
There emerged a mirthful hoot
From shadow, silver whiskers came

Thimble and Poppy sprang about
Clinging not to careless words
Mother Mouse did weep aloud
Wiping teary eye with fur

They paid no mind to Mingle's gift
Embracing him instead
They cared much more for his return
Then sacks of floury bread

Mingle spoke through cheerful sound
To share his honest penitence
And had no trouble giving ground
Where once he would be hesiatant

Father Mouse was pleased indeed
To hear him speaking plain
And so replied quite tenderly
To ease the yolk of shame

"Worry not young Mingle
We can see you're quite sincere
You're back at home with family
So there's no more need to fear

You can tell us all about it
Over supper in a while
And shed some light on worried minds
Which missed their wand'ring child"

Poppy put the kettle on
Thimble filled some bowls with seed
Mother got the teacups out
And Father even sliced some cheese!

And on the table Mingle placed
That sack of crumbs he'd gathered up
He hungered not to look at it
For he'd had quite enough

But of the food his kin laid down
Mingle gladly ate
And he recounted all he'd seen
Until the hour was late

Around the worn old table
Sat his kindred, listening keen
And from young Mingle's little snout
His smile did brightly gleam

When time for talk had ran its course
And all went off to bed
Through passageway to dim-lit room
He crawled to rest his head

And so thought Mingle evermore
The sweetest food is found at home
Amidst a host of happy mice
Whom he could call his own!