Timothy Mouse lives in a world very much like yours and mine. Timothy has a Mommy and a Daddy. He also has a younger sister he calls Squeaky. When she was a baby, Squeaky always made tiny little squeaking mouse noises when she was hungry or wanted to be picked up.
Timothy goes to school. He is in Kindergarten.
Timothy has 4 friends – Gabby, Chomper, Daniel and Charlie. Gabby’s real name is Gordon. He talks a lot and he is very strong. Chomper’s real name is Preston. He is always hungry and chomps on food all day long. Daniel is very brave and everyone asks him for his ideas about what to do on adventures. Charlie’s real name is Charlene. She is taller than most of the boys in her class and she is the very fastest runner of them all.
Some of the kids in Timothy’s school call him Timid Mouse. Timothy never makes decisions on his own. He never does anything without checking with someone else first.
One day Timothy was in the kitchen with his Father. His hands were covered in flour from making a special dessert for his family. His Father liked to bake special tasty treats!
Timothy asked if he could help by putting the pie pan in the oven.
“What do you think, Daddy? May I? May I?”
“Do what you think is right, Little One,” said Mr. Mouse.
Timothy thought about it a moment.
“I think maybe I’m not strong enough to lift it without spilling it. Maybe I’ll help you when I grow up more.” And then Timothy bent his head down to his chest and walked away.
The next day, Timothy was riding his bicycle while his Mother was working in her garden. Timothy stopped riding and asked his Mother if she might help him take the training wheels off of his bicycle.
“What do you think, Mommy? Should I? Should I?”
“Do what you think is right, Little One,” said Mrs. Mouse.
Timothy thought about it a moment.
“I think I might hurt myself if I fall off of my bicycle. Maybe I’ll leave them on until I grow up more.” And then Timothy bent his head down to his chest and walked away.
Timothy’s Kindergarten class went on a special visit to the animal farm. There were a lot of very big animals walking around. Timothy was afraid that one of them might step on him, he was so small.
The teacher wanted to know who would like to ride on the pony. She looked to Timothy and asked him if he would like to do this.
“What do you think, Teacher? Must I? Must I?”
“Do what you think is right, Little One,” said the Teacher.
Timothy thought about it a moment.
“I think maybe I’ll just watch. I’ll try it one day when I grow up more.” And then Timothy bent his head down to his chest and walked away.
School was finished in June. During the summer and just before Timothy’s sixth birthday, he and his friends were out playing in the field near his house. It had rained and rained the day before and everyone had to stay inside. They all wanted to play outside all day long today. Even Squeaky was allowed to go. Timothy promised his Mother he would watch out for her.
The grass was tall and wet. No one could see their own feet as they ran and played. They all took turns licking the raindrops off of the stalks of grass. No one noticed the big hole that the rain had created. The hole was very deep.
Squeaky did not realize it was there and she took a step into the hole and fell way, way down. She cried out. It was not a squeaky sound but a scared sound. She was very frightened. It was dark in the hole.
Timothy heard his sister’s cry and looked around but could not see her. He followed the sound to where she was. He called for his friends to come. Daniel, being very brave, took charge and spoke to Squeaky.
“Squeaky, it’s Daniel. Are you okay?”
“I think I’ve hurt my foot,” answered Squeaky.
“We will get you out! You lie down and rest until we come to get you.”
“Okay,” sniffed Squeaky.
Charlie knew she was the fastest runner. She offered to go and get Timothy’s Mother or Father. Daniel thought that was a very good idea.
Timothy did not know what to do. He was worried for his sister. He was afraid that his Mommy and Daddy would be angry with him. He was supposed to take care of his sister.
“Oh, dear. Oh, dear,” mumbled Timothy Mouse. “What shall I do?”
“Timothy,” shouted Daniel, “we need to find a rope to pull your sister out of the hole.”
Everyone looked but could not find a rope. They all thought and thought.
“What can we do?” asked Timothy.
“You are the smallest, Timothy,” said Daniel, “You have to go in to get her.”
“Me?” squeaked Timothy. Then Timothy looked at all of his friends.
“What do you think, my friends? Dare I? Dare I?”
“Do what you think is right,” Daniel shouted. “I am too big.”
“Do what you think is right,” said Gabby. “I’m too scared to go in there!”
“Me, too!” echoed Chomper.
“Somebody has to,” a wee voice says.
“Who said that?” asked Timothy.
“Me!”
“Who is Me?” Timothy was speaking out loud but there was no one there except his friends.
“Your heart.”
“My heart?”
“That’s right.”
I didn’t know you could talk, thought Timothy.
“That’s because you did not know how to listen.”
How come I know how to listen now?
“Because the decision you need to make is very, very important.”
What do you think is right, my Heart? Can I? Can I?
“You will know if you try, Precious One.”
Timothy thought about it a moment.
He could hear his sister’s voice. She was hurt and frightened.
Yes! He thought. He could do it! He had to do it!
“Daniel, I will do it!” stated Timothy, with a strong voice.
Just as he said this, Daniel said, “I know! We can make a mouse chain!”
“A what?” asked Gabby.
“All of us can hold on to each other and make a chain. Chomper is the biggest. He can start the chain.”
So Chomper lay down on the ground far away from the hole. He stretched out his arms. Daniel lay down next and Chomper held on to his ankles. Then Gabby, who was the strongest of them all, lay down. Daniel held on to Gabby’s ankles. And finally Timothy lay down closest to the hole. Gabby was holding on to Timothy’s ankles.
They all inched forward and Timothy was lowered into the hole. When Gabby got to the edge of the hole, all of Timothy was inside the dark space.
“I’ve got her!” shouted Timothy. “You can pull me back up!”
His friends wiggled back to where they started from and Timothy, holding on to his sister, came out of the hole.
Just then Mr. and Mrs. Mouse arrived with Charlie.
Mrs. Mouse grabbed hold of Squeaky and hugged her gently. She was crying softly, but it felt good to be in her mother’s arms.
Mr. Mouse grabbed hold of Timothy and gave him a big, strong hug. As he did, Timothy gave a yelp of pain.
“Are you hurt, Timothy?” asked Mr. Mouse.
“No, Daddy,” said Timothy as he reached into his shirt and pulled out what he thought was a rock.
“This must have gotten stuck in my clothes when the guys pulled me up,” Timothy said as he opened his hand. In Timothy’s hand was a special stone – a crystal. Just as he held it up for everyone to see, the sunlight touched the crystal and all the colours of the rainbow touched Timothy’s face.
“Timothy looks like a rainbow!” everyone shouted together.
“Hurray, hurray for brave Rainbow Mouse!”
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A few years later, Timothy’s little sister was out riding her bicycle.
“Timothy, do you think I should ask Daddy to take my training wheels off my bike?”
Timothy smiled a soft, quiet smile and said, “Do what you think is right, Little One!”
*
Marcia Nelson Pedde
October of the year 2000
