It’s been a while since my last post, so sorry about that. Here’s a story I hope you’ll enjoy!

‘Ella the Mouse’

“CHEESE!”

Ella sniffed and scurried across the room to where her friends stood gathered around a large chunk of goodness. Squirming through the group, she found an unclaimed spot and began gnawing at the cheese. She closed her eyes and chewed slowly, enjoying the delicious treat.

After the piece of cheese had been demolished, everyone headed back home. Deep down behind the radiator was where these mice lived. An old man with a white beard and a wooden cane lived in the house. The mice were his clean-up crew. But they didn’t mind all that hard labor-they loved eating the scraps left lying on the floor. They did it with pleasure, and the old man didn’t even know about it.

The mice especially loved when the old man’s grandchildren came to visit. Kids would tend to drop more food than adults, so whenever they came, there was a feast.

Lisa was the last one to slip behind the metal bars, and she had exciting news to share.

“As I was creeping under the table, I heard the old man talking on the phone. He was saying that the kids should come to him and they agreed! We’re gonna have a feast!” she exclaimed.

The other mice squeaked happily and began moving things aside so they would have room to store food. Ella leaned her head out of the little hole, and thought hard. She loved when the old man’s grandchildren came, but not only because of the food. The old man was Jewish, and his family would usually come for Shabbat or holidays. They would sing beautiful songs that would seep through the floorboards to where Ella and her family lay. Ella always wanted to peek up and see what was going on, but Mom never let her.

The clock chimed 10 o’clock and someone pulled on Ella’s tail.

“Come on, Ella! It’s time to go to bed!”

Ella sighed and slipped down beneath the wooden floor to her cozy bed. She pulled the blanket over her head and tried to think of a way to get up to the Shabbat table. She wanted to see, once and for all, what happened up there!

Ella thought for a long time. As the clock struck 11, an idea popped into her head.

“I’ve got it!” she thought.

She smile to herself, and fell asleep.

Friday morning found Ella helping out with the despised job of doing the laundry. First, the lucky mouse had to lug the huge basket of dirty clothing to the crack in the wall where water seeped through. Then, after moving the block of wood that stopped the water from flooding the little house, she had to soak each garment and rub soap on it. Next, she rinsed everything again. The last part was to hang up all the clothes and clean up the mess.

Usually, Ella would moan and complain. Today, however, Ella was humming to herself as she worked. She danced about the little room, scrubbing each cloth vigorously, making sure each button shone like the stars in the night sky.

Mom noticed the change.

“I wish you would always do your chores like this, Ella!” she said approvingly, as Ella sung past her with a pile of clothes.

Everyone else did too.

“What happened to you, Ella?” Lisa asked. “Why are you so happy all of a sudden?”

“Are you okay?” Ben asked with disgust. “You like doing the laundry?!?”

“Wow, Ella! Great attitude!” Dad grinned, and pinched her cheek.

After Ella finished the laundry, she asked Mom if she could go up and search for food.

“But Ella, the kids will be coming soon and tomorrow, we’ll have a feast!” Mom said as she swept the floor.

“Please?” Ella begged. “Just to play?”

“Alright, Ella. Just today, because you cleaned so nicely.” Mom agreed.

Brimming with excitement, Ella slipped through the narrow hole and crept out from behind the radiator.

Like it so far? Wonder what will happen next?

You’ll have to wait until next post!

Tehila

(p.s. comment below what type of stories you like or any ideas for the future!)