Big Ears

Children's Story

Once there was a little mouse who lived in a very big house with his mama, his papa, Uncle Joe, Aunty Lucile and his three cousins Tongo, Little Titch and Big Titch.

The little mouse himself was called 'Big Ears'. He didn't like the name much but he had to admit that it did suit him. It wasn't due to the size of his ears as they were quite normal. It was because he would always be listening in to what other people were saying even though what they were talking about had absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with him. Big Ears always wanted to know everybody else's business.

One day Big Ears was playing hide and seek with his cousins. While he was quietly hiding in the floorboards he overheard his 'ol Papa talking to his uncle Joe.

"We had better act quickly," said Uncle Joe with a sound of urgency in his voice, "or it may just be too late."

"Alright, alright!" said Papa. "Don't panic so much, it won't help anything."

For some reason, Papa didn't sound worried at all. In fact, his voice seemed to have a touch of bother in it.

Nevertheless he agreed to do what he could. "After all," he continued, "we can't just let them die."

"Goodness no!" said uncle Joe, sounding even more distressed than before, you know how much they mean to me."

Big Ears wondered why his Papa sounded so unconcerned. That's just not like him at all, he thought.

At that very second, Big Ears could have been renamed, Big Eyes and Big Mouth for they were all opened as wide as they could ever get.

"This sounds serious!" he thought to himself,. "but how can I tell the others since I shouldn't be listening in to other people's conversations. Still this was an emergency, and friends were in need of help. Maybe Tongo and I can help too," he thought.

As soon as Papa and Uncle Joe were out of sight, Big Ears made a run for it. I have to tell my cousins. Maybe we can all help. But he could only find Tongo. Big Ears quickly explained to him that there were friends in urgent need of help. "It is a matter of life and death," he told Tongo.

Tongo was shocked. "Who? Where?" he asked. Big Ears told Tongo that he didn't know but that they should follow Papa and uncle Joe to see where they were going to. But first they had to find Big Titch and Little Titch. They searched high and low for the two little mice but they were no-where to be seen. Big Ears suddenly stopped in his tracks.

"Tongo!" he yelled grabbing Tongo's arm. "Maybe they were talking about Big Titch and Little Titch. Tongo was dumbfounded.

"We'd better hurry," said Tongo.

Scurrying around very fast, as little mice can, Big Ears and Tongo finally caught sight of the two big Papas walking briskly and silently towards the back of the house. As they reached the laundry they stopped and searched the cupboards. Everything was silent except for the sounds of the two Papa mice rustling in the bottom shelf.

Big Ears and Tongo hid quietly in the corner without so much as a squeak. Suddenly there was a loud "Ah Ha!" from Papa.

"Found it," he called out to Uncle Joe who was busy checking elsewhere. The two cousins could not see what it was because Uncle Joe was standing in the way.

Uncle Joe came bounding out happily. "Well done!" he said to Papa. "Come quickly, we've no time to waste."

Papa still seemed reluctant to rush.

"Why ever was he behaving like this when lives were depending on him?" Big Ears asked Tongo. Tongo shrugged his shoulders but had no answer.

Papa followed Uncle Joe into the garden with Big Ears and Tongo quietly following behind. Uncle Joe took the package from Papa and emptied it into his little watering can, then followed it with a full load of water. They both walked off into the vegetable patch and began to water the vegetables.

"This will save them, all they needed was a good plant food," said Uncle Joe. Papa agreed and tapped Uncle Joe on his back.

"Happy now?" said Papa. "You really shouldn't worry so much over your plants. It's no good for your health."

Tongo put his hands on his hips and looked fiercely at Big Ears. Big Ears blushed with embarrassment. Tongo felt ready to yell at him but when he saw Big Ears' face, bright red from his foolishness, he just couldn't help laughing.

He laughed so much that he made Big Ears laugh too.

"I guess we'd better go and find Big Titch and Little Titch," said Tongo.

Big Brown Bear Audio Visual book