THE MOUSE WHO WANTED
TO BE A BEAUTIFUL GIRL
Once, a small lady
mouse lived under a wise man's house. At first,
she was just a nuisance to everyone. She chewed wood and ate
any food that the wise man and his family left in the house at
night. But she was not happy.
One
evening, she came out of her hiding place and sat in front of the wise man. "Can you change me into a beautiful
girl?" she asked. "I'm tired of being a mouse."
"Are you sure
that's what you want?"
"Yes, I'm quite sure. I've seen how you human
beings enjoy yourselves. I'd like to be a beautiful
girl and marry a rich husband."
"Very
well," said the wise man, "I'll change you into a beautiful
girl." Then something very strange happened. The mouse started changing
into a beautiful woman dressed in a lovely sarong kebaya. There was a
delicious perfume in the room.
Next
day, when the girl was on her way to the market, the sun was shining brightly.
Many people wished her good morning and some
young wren turned round to look at her. Suddenly, a dark cloud covered
the sun. The girl felt cold.
"Oh, I would
like to be a cloud," the girl said to herself. "It's stronger than the sun. If I turn into a cloud, there'll
be no need for me to
many a rich husband."
The wise man heard
what the girl said.
"If it will make you happy," he said, "I
can change you into a cloud." The
girl felt herself floating up into the sky. She was as light as a cloud.
But soon she was tossed this way and that by the wind. She saw the wind
fill the sails of boats on the sea far below
her and carry them along until they were out of sight. She then cried out that she wanted to be changed into
a strong wind.
The wise man appeared again. "All right. I'll change
you into a strong wind. But why are you
never satisfied?"
But
before he could hear what the girl said — "Whoosh!"—he was almost
blown over by a strong wind. The wind rushed past and threw itself against a
tall mountain. "Stop! Stop!" the girl
called out. She had been changed into a wind. "I'll be hurt if I'm
thrown against the mountain."
The
wind tried to climb over the top of the mountain but it was not able to do so.
The mountain was so hard and slippery.
"Why
did you think you were stronger than IT' the mountain shouted at the wind. "I'll teach you a
good lesson."
.
The wind dropped from the top of the mountain to the bottom. "Oh, I think
I'm going to be sick," the girl sobbed.
"Why,
you're not even as strong as a mouse! Even a mouse can make a hole and live
inside me!" the mountain said.
"0
wise man," the girl called out, "please, won't you help me?"
"Well now," said the wise man, who was never far
away, "that depends. Will you promise
never to be dissatisfied again with what you are?"
"Yes, yes,"
the girl said.
"And
if I change you back into a mouse again you'll never want to be anything
else?"
"I promise, I
promise," said the girl.
So
the wise man changed her into a mouse again and she went back to live under his
house.
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