Happy Valentine's Day

Fiddlina was busy cleaning the house

and could not see a single mouse.

'Now where could everyone be,' she thought,

As she got the bedding and started to sort

The laundry out to get it all clean,

Before polishing furniture to a nice sheen.

 'What's that?' she said, as she looked on a chair.

'A big red heart? What's that doing there?'

She picked up the heart and on it she read

To find the next clue look under the bed.

Fiddlina giggled and ran up the stairs,

And picked up the socks she'd put in to pairs.

Underneath another heart lay.

'Next go out to where we play.'

She ran downstairs and out the door,

And lying on the garden floor

Another heart in shiny red.

'Now go back in the lounge ,' it said.

She walked back in but didn't know

In which room she was supposed to go.

She went in the kitchen. Nothing was there.

Opened the oven. Stood on a chair.

'Oh my.' She said as on top of the shelf

She found a sock, toast and a cuddly elf?

'This really needs a clean,' she thought,

But her treasure hunt was what she sought.

She ran upstairs. Looked under the beds.

More socks, a book and paper in shreds.

She thought she heard a mousey laugh

and ran to look inside the bath.

Nothing there or in the sink.

Fiddlina sat and had a think.

Off downstairs, under the chair.

More socks were hiding under there.

'What's that?' she thought and heard a noise.

'I wonder if it was the boys.

They're awfully quiet, it's quite a worry,'

And in to the dining room with a scurry.

'Oh!' she said for on the table,

With a bow and heart shaped label,

A huge box of chocolates and a card.

Fiddlina looked at them very hard.

'For me!' she said and looked around,

and then she heard a cheery sound.

'Hurray Fiddlina. Our valentine,'

And out the boys popped in a line.

'Oh how lovely,' Fiddlina blushed.

'Open the card,' the boys said, flushed.

'To Fiddlina a wonderful mouse,

Who looks after us with a tidy house.'

Fiddlina smiled and opened the box

And handed round the lovely chocs.

'Thank you all so very much.

The heart cards were a lovely touch.'

They all sat and ate the Valentine chocs,

Fiddlina  didn't mention the various socks.

She made a mental note to herself

To clean all the carpets and every shelf.

'Oh,' she said. 'What about TIna?

I'm not the only mouse house cleaner.'

'It was her idea,' Bongo said,

As Tina went a shade of red.

'You're always so nice when I get things wrong.

Like stop the dusting to sing a song

or leave the vacuum on the stairs

and don't put clean socks in to pairs.

Fiddlina blushed. 'How very nice

To have friends like all you lovely mice.'

All of the band would like to say

Have a Happy Valentine's day.

The mice solve a problem.

The mice were riding out one day

and stopped for a picnic along the way.

They crossed a field and under a tree

What do you think the mice could see?

A forlorn little mouse with a xylophone.

'Oh dear. Oh My. It's lost it's tone.'

'Hello,' said Bongo. 'Who are you?'

'I'm Tuffy Plonker. Oh What a to do.'

'Oh my,' said Bongo. 'What on earth's wrong?'

'My xylophone has lost it's clong.'

'Lost it's clong?'the mice all said

And at that moment out popped a head.

'Oh Dear!' they said. Oh what a surprise.

Out popped a wood worm in front  of their eyes.

'You see,' said Tiffy, 'with him inside

When I hit the plates the tone has died.'

Poor Tuffy didn't know quite what to do.

He really made a hullaballoo.

‘I can’t play with him in there.

He won’t come out. It’s just not fair.’

The mice looked as the worm popped out.

‘It is a problem. There’s no doubt.’

‘Let me try,’ said Keys moving in,

And he popped the woodworm in to a tin.

'That won’t work,' said Tuffy and looked

As the little worm neatly hooked

His tail out, hopped on to the grass

And up the side, over the brass

Clangers on Tuffy’s xylophone.

'He really does feel well at home.'

Quiffy said 'How about that tree?

The ideal place for his home to be.'

The mice all fished the wood worm out

and then with a triumphant shout

popped him on to a little twig.

The woodworm looked. Started to dig.

Then climbed back down, across the grass,

The mice all parted to let him pass.

He climbed up the xylophone, up the pole

Across the plates and into a hole.

'This is a conundrum indeed.'

Said Monty. 'We must act with heed.'

The mice and Tuffy all thought hard.

'How about a house made of card?'

Said Tich, as the woodworm's head popped up.
'I tried that, and put him in a cup.'

The worm popped back down below.

‘I’ve got an idea,’ Up stepped Bongo.

'Just wait here,' and off he scurried

back to the bus, to the boot he hurried.

'What does he want?' asked Fiddlina.

'I hope it works,' said little Tina.

Bongo came back with an old bongo drum.

'I use these for practice but maybe time's come

To see if they can be of more use.'

And he worked the tops off slightly loose.

Tuffy got the worm, placed him inside.

The woodworm looked around with pride.

He popped his head out and gave a smile

'Oh thank you,' said Tuffy. 'He's been there a while.

I can finally play my phones again.'

He picked up his sticks and played there and then.

The worm got out and danced on top

of Bongo's drum and didn't stop.

Keys sat down and got out a pen

And wrote a sign for the worm's new den.

The sign was coloured. 'Walter's house'.

The worm smiled, as did Tuffy the mouse.

Tuffy played  triumphantly,

His little face lit up with glee.

The mice all smiled and danced and played.

Oh what a jolly group they made.

Walter popped up and danced along

as Tuffy's xylophone regained it's clong.

Happy New Year!

The band had travelled most of the day.

Off to Hamish and Hogmanay.

All of them in their party best.

Neatly groomed and smartly dressed.

‘We’re here!’ they cried and off they got,

And into the castle like a shot.

The ballroom was decorated wall to wall,

With balloons and streamers in the hall.

‘Yon mice!’ Said Hamish. ‘Here at last.

My, my the time. It does go fast.

We’re almost set. We start at eight.

I can relax now I know you won’t be late.’

‘Who’s that,’ asked Bongo. ‘Over there,’

And pointed to the corner where

Three mice were trying a little dance.

‘Come meet the singers. They’re from France.

Meet Chu, Chim, Choww, the Cheesette girls,’

With glasses, earrings, and with pearls,

They said  ‘I’m Chim.’  ‘I’m Choww.’ ‘I’m Chu.’

‘We’re the Cheesettes. Who are you?’

‘Meet my friends.  The Bongo Mouse band.

They’ve travelled up to lend a hand.

They’re your backing group tonight.

I know them well. They’ll get it right.’

The band and girls then planned the songs

So nothing that night would go wrong.

At eight o clock sharp, guests appeared.

Scriffy took their tickets and steered

Them in the ballroom to their table,

Where every mouse guest then was able

To sit and drink, enjoy a meal,

While they listened to the jolly reel

Played by the band and the Cheesettes.

They’d arranged the music in to sets

And in between the guests played games,

Like mouse piñata, and guessing names.

As midnight started to draw near,

The dance floor slowly started to clear

And Hamish appeared with big long swords,

And laid them out on the big floorboards

Neatly in a criss cross shape.

The band just stood and looked. Agape.

‘Oh Hamish please be careful.’ said Choww.

‘No need to fret. I’ll show you now.’

In walked a mouse in kilt and sporran.

‘Please meet my dancing cousin. Wilt.

Best sword dancer in all the land.’

And Hamish took his pipes in hand

And started to play a Highland fling

While Wilt danced round him in a ring.

Then he danced between each blade

His feet and balance perfectly weighed

As he did a Scottish Sword dance

Which left the mice quite in a trance.

When he finished they cheered and clapped

Until Scriffy got a hammer and tapped

On the table ‘Please one and all,

Join hands in the middle of the hall.

It’s only a few more minutes to go

That’s it. All join hands in a row.’

Everyone counted down out loud,

And midnight came and all the crowd

Shouted out  ‘A Happy new year!’

And gave a great big New Year cheer.

Hamish piped up Auld Lang Syne

As the mice joined hands all in a line,

All singing loud to greet the year

As Sachmo thought ‘What’s that I hear?’

From the lake he heard a roar,

And through the window then he saw

Daisy dancing down in the lake.

He hoped the band might get a break

To see if her mouth had healed ok.

But the band had come up here to play.

Hamish called for silence then

And went to the door on the count of ten.

Monty came through with a lump of coal

He cleared his throat. ‘To every soul

Here tonight, I wish you luck and good cheer

For tonight and for the coming year.’

The guests all cheered, and started dancing

Lots of jigs, and reels and prancing.

The band played on and the party went late.

Oh what a way to celebrate.

The Cheesettes all kept on singing,

The band played on, with Hamish bringing

Punch, and haggis for them to eat,

And ginger cake for something sweet.

The guests eventually left the do.

‘Oh what a wonderful night,’ said Chu

‘I’ve made so many new friends here,’

Said Chim. ‘A good start to the year.

And seeing everyone have such fun.’

As they all looked out at the rising sun.

‘I hope we’ll meet again,’ said Choww

‘Can we get to France somehow?’

Asked Twangy. ‘Well the best way there

Is to go underwater if we dare.’

Said Monty as the mice looked round.

‘There’s a tunnel running underground

That will take us all the way.’

‘We can get there. Oh hooray!’

The band and Cheesettes said farewell

And on the bus they quickly fell.

As the bus drove off the mice could see,

Peeking over a great big tree,

Daisy watching with a grin,

And neatly tied up under her chin,

Sachmo’s hat was fastened tight.

She really was a funny sight.

The band all waved and gave a cheer,

And wish you a Happy Bongo New Year.

A Christmouse Tale

‘Twas Christmouse day and all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, except for one mouse.

Fiddlina was up and about with the lark.

She looked out the window to see it still dark.

She wandered downstairs to the kitchen table

Wondering how on earth she’d be able

To get the huge turkey in to roast.

She sat to think and had some toast.

Then she set about stuffing the  bird.

Breadcrumbs and herbs were swiftly stirred,

Then rolled up into neat little rows

Before being stuffed up the parson’s nose.

She looked at the oven, then at the tin.

‘There’s no way that I can get that in!’

She moved the shelves, ‘That won’t do.’

She sat and made herself a brew.

She pondered the problem she had now

And finally hit on exactly how

She could get all the turkey in to cook.

Removing the shelves was all it took,

And tucking the legs in to the bird.

She closed the door and just then heard

A noise as Keys came in to view.

‘Merry Christmouse!’ He said ‘The same to you.’

She made him tea and more fresh toast,

Keys started peeling potatoes to roast.

‘I think I’ll roast them around the bird.

It crisps them well, or so I've heard.’

He diced them up and laid them out

When all of a sudden he heard a shout;

‘Merry Christmouse!’ yelled Twangy, coming through

The door. ‘We've all got so much to do.’

 ‘That turkey smells good,’ and he sniffed the air

As Fiddlina shuffled out of her chair

To check the bird was cooking right.

It was roasting as she’d hoped it might.

She sat back down and looked about

At mice working hard without a doubt.

Keys was still very busy peeling.

His roast potatoes would be appealing.

Twangy then got a huge pan out

And sat about peeling Brussels sprouts.

‘I've never seen so many sprouts.’ He said

As he looked at a pile as high as his head.

‘Merry Christmouse,’ said Bongo at the door

As he appeared to start his Christmouse chore.

He went to a larder and pulled out a sack

Of carrots and dragged it all the way back

To a chair where a pan sat on the floor.

He picked up a peeler in his mouse paw

And started to peel and chop and dice.

Now how many carrots for how many mice?

Tich, Tupper and Tina were all busy too.

Setting  the table: Oh what a to do!

Tupper was laying the cutlery out,

While Tina had place cards scattered about

Trying to work out who would sit where

While Tupper was laying crackers with care.

They all kept getting in the way

Till Tupper went and fetched a tray.

‘Tina, you put your cards on here

To get the seating nice and clear.

Then move the cards on to the table.

Tich, follow me, that way you’re able

To put the crackers on each plate

After me, then we’ll all be straight.’

Sachmo was next to complete his chore.

He dropped the first batch on the floor.

‘Oops,’ he said. ‘I’ll clean the mess.

Maybe next time I’ll make less.’

Making gravy was Sachmo’s job

But it turned in to one big blob.

‘Oh dear,’ he said. ‘A bit too thick,’

And he added water a bit too quick.

‘Sachmo! Keep it in the pan!

The turkeys done so quick as you can.’

All of a sudden a knock at the door

Meant chaos on the kitchen floor.

Fiddlina quickly carved the meat,

While Keys piled potatoes nice and neat.

Twangy took sprouts to the table

While Bongo strained carrots fast as was able.

And as for Sachmo – Oh deary me.

He was wearing most of his thick gravy.

‘Hello,’ said a voice. ‘That does smell good.’

And Monty and Scriffy came and stood

And looked at the magnificent meal.

It really had a Christmouse feel.

The mice pulled crackers as they sat

With silly jokes and party hats.

They ate and talked and laughed and ate

Until all the food was off their plate.

Quiffy stood up. ‘My turn now.’

He came back in. ‘Oh Quiffy. Wow!’

He brought with him a flaming pud.

‘Oh Quiffy that really does look good.’

They each of them had a huge big slice.

When they finished they were very full mice.

Bongo sat back and patted his belly,

Which wobbled like a great big jelly.

‘That really was a most wonderful meal

And it certainly made all of us feel

Full of joy and Christmouse cheer.

In a few days off to see New Year

In with Hamish and Hogmanay.

We’ve had a really wonderful day

To all our readers old and new

A very Merry Christmouse too.’

The Monster of Castle McToot (cont)

We left the mice at Hamish’s lake.

A monster appeared and made them all shake.

What happened? You ask. Well let’s find out.

We left when the monster gave a hearty shout.

The mice all shrieked and went to run off.

Hamish steadied them with a hearty cough.

‘No need to be frightened, She’ll not harm you.

She’s just as curious of all of you too.

Meet Daisy. She just wants to say hello,’

As the monster bent down really low,

click to see a bigger picture>

And looked at all the mice standing near.

‘I say,’ said Keys. ‘Do I see a tear?’

The mice all looked and Daisy looked sad.

‘I think something might be making her bad,’

Said Bongo as they moved closer to see.

‘She doesn’t look happy. What can it be?’

Hamish stopped playing. ‘Can ye tell us what’s wrong?’

And Daisy swooped down (Her neck was quite long)

She looked at the mice with a tear in her eye.

‘What’s wrong?’ Keys asked,’ Can you tell us why

You’re looking so sad? We’ll try to help.’

And with that Daisy gave out a yelp.

As she opened her mouth they could all see

What was making the monster so unhappy.

Between two teeth was a sliver of wood,

Stuck quite fast. They knew that it should

Be taken out to ease her pain

But to pull that out would be a strain.

They had no rope to tie around

And Daisy’s head high off the ground

Made pulling it out all the tougher.

They didn’t like to see her suffer.

Sachmo looked up. ‘I know,’ he said

‘I can get to it if I’m on her head.’

‘Be careful’ yelled Tina as Sachmo got near.

‘Make sure,’ Monty said, ‘you show her no fear.’

Quiffy and Twangy helped get Sachmo on

To Daisy’s tail. It really was long.

‘Climb up her scales,’ Fiddlina cried

And Sachmo climbed up Daisy’s side.

Bongo watched on. ‘Go slowly Sachmo.

You don’t want to slip back down below.’

Daisy turned round and bent her head.

‘Look out! She’s moving!’ Tupper said.

‘Stand still Sachmo!’ the mice all cried

As Daisy turned, mouth opened wide.

Then she stopped. Just looked and waited

As if the monster anticipated

Exactly what Sachmo was up there for.

‘I say. It really does look sore.’

 Sachmo gripped the twig real tight

And he pulled on it with all his might.

‘That’s it Sachmo. It’s coming out.’

And he pulled real hard and gave a shout

As he tumbled off and in to the lake!

The mice all yelled but with a quick shake

Of her head Daisy dived quickly to get

Poor Sachmo out, he was awfully wet.

‘Sachmo well done!’  ‘You’re a hero!’  ‘Brave lad!’

Daisy bent down looking awfully glad.

She smiled at Sachmo and gave him a lick.

The mice all grinned ‘Come on quick.

Let’s get Sachmo dry before he gets Flu.

We know what that’s like. What a to do.’

Sachmo was proud he’d made Daisy better,

Even if he ended up getting wetter

Than she was and really terribly cold.

The mice all thought he was awfully bold.

Hamish picked up his pipes and played

And the mice all danced by the lake and stayed

With Daisy till the moon shone bright,

Then walked back to the castle in the night.

They knew they’d have to leave next day.

‘Why don’t  you come back for Hogmanay?’

Asked Hamish before they went off to bed.

‘Hogmanay? What’s that?’ Bongo said.

‘It’s how we celebrate our New year.

I’ll be having a really big party here

With dancing and singing – I need a band.

You could all come up and lend a hand.

I’ve hired three singers I met in France.

They can sing as you play and we can all dance.’

‘Oh that does sound like fun,’ they agreed

‘I’m sure we can all come back then indeed’

The mice all yawned and went off to sleep

With lots of happy memories  to keep.

Next day they set off home again.

They’d be back. They knew when.

Hamish joined Daisy. They waved them farewell.

They all had lots of tales to tell.

They watched the bus go through the gate

And Hamish looked at Daisy. Wait!

What was that thing upon her head!

‘Oh Daisy! You didn’t!’ Hamish said.

Daisy you are a naughty thing

And Daisy looked with a sheepish grin.

For on her head, a tartan hat.

Left behind when Sachmo sat.

She wanted to keep a memory

Of Sachmo removing a piece of tree.

Just then back on the Bongo bus

Sachmo created such a fuss.

‘Oh no! Where’s my tartan hat!

My head’s quite cold now without that.’

Instead of his hat he had on his head

The twig that was making daisy’s gum red.

‘Now why am I wearing this?’ He thought.

‘I do remember the twig I’d brought

With me as a little keepsake

Of being a hero by the lake.

But where on earth could my nice hat be?’

And he looked upon his piece of tree.

‘I must have left my hat behind.

I know that Hamish is quite kind.

He’ll let us know if he finds it there.

But now my head’s got nothing to wear.’

‘Oh Sachmo you really are a twit.

It’s a good job Fiddlina knows how to knit.’

Don’t worry I’ll make another one,

You can wear it just as soon as it’s done.’

The bus rolled on, the mice all sat

While Sachmo thought of his tartan hat,

And of how he really saved the day.

And stopped a monster feeling grey.