MICHAEL’S BIG IDEAS

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 9 March 1935, Page 10

MICHAEL’S BIG IDEAS

QUEST OF THE GREY MOUSE Michael was only a little grey ordinary mouse, but what big ideas he had in that small furry head. True, he lived in the barn with the other gfey mice, the bam near the castle on the edge of the wood, but from the time that his tail grew to adult proportions he held aloof from liis fellows and refused to make friends.

When old enough to leave his fatner’s home he did not, like his brothers, seek out a pretty little soft-eyed lady mouse and ask her to be his bride. He wished to marry, to be sure, but only, so he told himself, the very highest lady in tlie world. From what you will gather Michael was not without conceit.

“Yes, only the highest lady in.the world shall I ask to be my wife,” said he. “I shall go to the Sun and ask him for his daughter’s hand; he is surely the greatest of all.” So to the Sun went Michael, and praising him for his greatness, - asked him for his daughter, explaining his determination- to take only the very highest lady for his bride. * ‘ Then it is not my daughter that you want,” said the Sun, when he liad heard Michael’s story, “for I am not the greatest. Do you know that when a cloud comes in front of me, even my brilliant light is hidden?” “Then I shall go to the Cloud,” said (he Mouse, and leaving the Sun he went to the Cloud, and repeated his request. “Ah,” said the Cloud, “if you are in quest of the mightiest, you should not come to me; there is a greater than I—the Wind. When he blows lam scattered in any direction that pleases him.”

“Then I shall not marry your daughter,” said Michael, rudely. “Only the greatest is good enough for me!”

And this last remark he repeated to the Wind.

“Only the greatest,” said the blustery fellow. “You’ve come to the wrong place this time. I’m not the mightiest by any means. Why, the great Granite Tower that stands by your home is stronger than I. In vain I have driven; against him, trying to injure, him. All' my efforts are useless. Go to him. say I.”

“I will,” sai-d- Michael, beginning now to feel less sure of himself. “I will never marry a daughter of yours. The Granite Tower’s daughter alone shall be my choice.”

But, alas, the Tower was discouraging, too. “They have mocked at you, my little friend,” sal dhe. ‘There is one stronger than I one who troubles me greatly.”

“Where is he then?” demanded Michael. I wish to go to him and ask for his daughter. Where is he, I say.” ’’‘Here within my walls,” answered the Granite Tower “you will flnd a mouse whom I am powerless to resist, for none of the mortar which holds me together is strong enough, to keep her out. She gnaws her way in between

my stones, and I am powerless to prevent her.”

At these words Michael the Mouse burst into tears.

‘ ‘ Has my quest then been in vain,” ho wept. “Must I after all marry a humble mouse?” ,

“It is better so,” said the wise bid Tower. “It is high time that you learned not to despise your own nature, for many a good soul has fallen low because he tried to climb too high.” And Michael, ashamed now of fois .pride and foolishness, ‘humbly asked the mouse of the Tower to be his wife, but she would have none of him. She’d a. husband of her own. . . He returned to his old home in the barn and we Hear —though, we don’t know if it’s true — that he settled down and married ono of the soft-eyed little lady mice whose gentle advances- no rudely Topulsed in his proud and haughty days! A Home-Made Sweet. “American Candy” is a delicious sweet to eat, and it is quite simple to nxkt Once tried, you will be sure to want to make it over and over, again. The ingredients required are 2oz. powdered. chocolate, one teacup fine white sngar, the white of an egg, one dessotspoonful cream, half cup of chopped walnuts and a few drops of vanilla essence.

Beat the egg white sloVrly, and gradually add the sugar, stirring all the time. "When well mixed, stir the cream in, and the mixture should then be a fairly stiff paste. If too wet add more sugar. Next stir in the 'chopped walnuts, mixing them well. Break the paste into small pieces and form them into balls, and lastly roll each ball into powdered chocolate before setting on a disk to harden.