Folk Tales
Author's Tales
There was once an old man who lost his mitten. A Mouse came running up, and she climbed into the mitten and sat there.
By and by a Frog came hopping up, and she stopped and called out: "Hello there! Who is living in this mitten?"
"I am. Crunch-Munch the Mouse. And who are you?"
"Hop-Stop the Frog. Let me in!"
"All right. Jump in!"
By and by a Rabbit came scurrying up, and he stopped and called out:
"Hello there! Who is living in this mitten?"
"We are. Crunch-Munch the Mouse and Hop-Stop the Frog. And who are you?"
"Fleet-Feet the Rabbit. May I join you?"
"All right. Jump in!"
By and by a Fox came scampering up, and he stopped and called out:
"Hello there! Who is living in this mitten?"
"We are. Crunch-Munch the Mouse, Hop-Stop the Frog and Fleet-Feet the Rabbit. And who are you?"
"Smily-Wily the Fox. Won't you make room for me?"
"All right. Jump in!"
So there the four of them sat, and by and by a Wolf came stalking up, and he stopped and called out:
"Hello there! Who is living in this mitten?"
"We are. Crunch-Muhch the Mouse, Hop-Stop the Frog, Fleet-Feet the Rabbit and Smily-Wily the Fox. And who are you?"
"Howly-Prowly the Wolf. And I mean to get in!"
"All right. Go ahead!"
By and by a Bear came lumbering up, and he growled and roared and called out:
"Hello there! Who is living in this mitten?"
"We are. Crunch-Munch the Mouse, Hop-Stop the Frog, Fleet-Feet the Rabbit, Smily-Wily the Fox and Howly-Prowly the Wolf. And who are you?"
"Grumbly-Rumbly the Bear. And I know you'll make room for me!"
"All right. Get in!"
So the Bear squeezed in too, and there the six of them sat in the mitten.
By and by a Wild Boar came sauntering up, and he stopped and called out with a grunt:
"Hello there! Who is living in this mitten?"
"We are. Crunch-Munch the Mouse, Hop-Stop the Frog, Fleet-Feet the Rabbit, Smily-Wily the Fox, Howly-Prowly the Wolf and Grumbly-Rumbly the Bear. And who are you?"
"Snout-Rout the Boar. And I'm sure you want me too."
"All right. Climb in!"
So the Boar squeezed in, and there the seven of them sat in the mitten.
By and by a hunter came walking up. He saw the mitten move, and bang! – he fired his gun. The mitten burst, and away helter-skelter ran the seven friends.