Tiny Tales for Bedtime [antikvár]

The Holly Bush Knights by Ruth Hoult The field mice were holding a meeting in the garden of Number 1 Chestnut Lane. It was the first garden where the country began. They were sitting, standing, whisking tails, grooming whiskers, grooming fur, and squeaking one to another, while grouped around a forgotten story book, which lay open on the grass. The picture was of a large castle. Men in armour stood on the battlements firing arrows and cannon balls on their enemies below. The fieldmice had many enemies, among them Mr Cat O, Black the Weasel, Sly the Red Fox and Mr Barn the Owl. "That is what we want," said Barley Mouse, "a castle. Then we would be safe from all our enemies." "What a good idea," they all said. "Where shall we build one?" "Shall we build our castle in the long, grey roots of the beech tree in Half Acre Field?" suggested Corn Mouse softly. "What a splendid fortress it would make." But Barley Mouse didn't agree. "It is far too low," he said. "A castle should be high." Rye Mouse had an idea. "The tall chestnut tree on Dragon's Hill," he said. Barley Mouse shook his head. "High enough, yes," he said. "But there are no holes in the trunk to make a shelter. We can't live among the branches. What will happen when the cold times come, and all the leaves fall, and little white bits come out of the sky and cover the ground? What will we do then?" Wheat Mouse stepped forward very importantly.