Last week, I wrote about kittens and this week, I share a poem/puppet play about a hungry mousie. I’ve been trying to share resources for parents or caretakers of young children these past few weeks in order to support families with young children at home. As a Waldorf early childhood teacher of 20 years, I’ve got a bunch of them!
I used to tell this story in my parent-child classes–and it was a big hit! After I’d told it myself a time or two, I’d let the little ones pick the next piece of the sandwich out of the bag. Simple and fun–and the hungry mousie always got his lunch.
Hungry Mousie–the video
Here’s my recording of myself telling the story:
The story-poem:
Little Mouse was hungry, he was looking for some lunch.
“I’d like to have a sandwich to nibble, nibble, crunch.”
First, he found a piece of bread sitting by the door.
Then he went into the cupboard looking for some more.
A piece of cheese, sure to please.
Cucumber sweet, so good to eat.
An onion ring, that will add some zing.
Sour pickle makes my tummy tickle.
A piece of cake, for goodness sake! I’ll save that for dessert.
Another piece of cheese, golly geez.
Pepper sweet, can’t be beat.
A lettuce leaf, good for my teeth.
One more slice of bready, and mouse’s lunch was ready.
“Thank you for my food,” he said,
Then he bit into the bread.
Nibble, Nibble, crunch,
Nibble, nibble, crunch.
Mousie ate up all his lunch.
Then his tummy was full, so without a peep,
He went back home and fell asleep.
More hungry mousies–a couple verses I didn’t write that are fun for circle time or whenever:
If you need a good stretch, this first verse is for you–more of a story than a verse, really, but fun, nevertheless:
The mice woke up one morning, and they were so hungry.
“Let’s find something to eat.”
So they crept up to the first floor, but there was nothing to eat, so they ran back down to the cellar.
But they were still hungry.
“Let’s find something to eat.”
So they crept up to the first floor, then they crept up to the second floor, but there was nothing to eat, so they ran back down to the cellar.
But they were still so hungry.
“Let’s find something to eat.”
So they crept up to the first floor, they crept up to the second floor, they crept up to the third floor and all the way up to the attic.
And there they found a nice piece of cheese.
And they nibbled, nibbled, nibbled it all up.
They nibbled, nibbled, nibbled it all up.
They nibbled, nibbled, nibbled it all up.
And then they scattered the crumbs to the birds.
They scattered the crumbs to the birds.
They scattered the crumbs to the birds.
Then they went back down to the cellar and fell asleep.
And finally–Tom Thumb and Squeaky Mouse–a circular rhyme
Well, I don’t know if that’s what they’re called, but when you get to the end, it goes back to the beginning. And it reminded me of “The song that never ends,” so I sang that at the end because–why not! This one also has a hungry mousie!
Now I’ll tell you a story and this story is true,
So you listen carefully and do just what I do.
Here is Tom Thumb and here is his house,
This is his window and this is Squeaky his mouse.
One morning very early, when the sun began to shine,
Squeaky mouse sat up in bed and counted up to nine
1..2..3..4..5..6..7..8..9
Then Squeaky took a great big jump right on to Tom Thumb’s bed.
Squeaky ran right up his arm and sat upon his head.
Squeaky pulled his ear and Squeaky pinched his nose
until Tom Thumb got out of bed and put on all his clothes.
Then they sat down to breakfast and ate some buttered bread,
and when they were all finished, little Tom Thumb said,
Now I’ll tell you a story and this story is true…..
Poetry Friday
Christie Wyman, over at Wondering and Wandering hosts Poetry Friday this week. She also shares her poetry–for National Poetry Month, she’s been writing poems based on Thoreau’s journal entries–pretty cool! You can also see what other poets are sharing or add your own link if you want.
I mentioned last week that my 92-year-old dad was diagnosed with coronavirus. He’s still at home (in an independent living facility with my mom) and seems to be feeling a bit better–for which I am most grateful!
Also, I’m moving a week from tomorrow, so whether I’m able to write or share any poetry next week remains to be seen.
But, as always, I’m grateful to you for stopping by. Be well!
xoxo