Part three of Alexander and the Magical Mouse:
But Alexander did not answer. He did not even smile. The Old Lady felt his forehead. It was very hot. "Oh dear!" she said.
"Oh dear, oh dear!" whispered the Cat and the Yak, who had come in to see how Alexander was. The Old Lady made more ginger tea. The Yak made Yak butter especially to put in it. Even the Brindle London Squatting Cat did his part: he lay on Alexander's bed to keep his tail extra warm. But the Magical Mouse could not be found.
That night, long after everyone else was asleep, the Old Lady sat sadly beside Alexander's bed, ready in case he should want anything. At last she got up and went downstairs. "Magical Mouse, Magical Mouse, where are you?" she whispered.
"Asleep!" came a squeak from the chandelier.
"But Magical Mouse, how can I help Alexander?"
"Look on the tea table," said the Magical Mouse. There lay a tiny white cake. On it was written, in pink sugar letters, "FOR ALEXANDER".
"Oh, thank you, Magical Mouse!" whispered the Old Lady, and she tiptoed upstairs again. Gently she opened Alexander's mouth and put the tiny cake inside. As he swallowed he smiled, dreaming it was teatime.
The next morning it was as rainy as ever, but Alexander felt much better. After breakfast he and the Brindle London Squatting Cat played Monopoly on the bed until the Cat got cross because he was losing. The Old Lady was up in the topmost tower watching the river and the wall through the telescope. The town looked safe and secure.
Every day it rained and rained and rained. They lost track of how many days it had been raining. They were out of pickled watermelon and molasses and they were tired of all their games and books. The Brindle London Squatting Cat was grumpy all the time. Even the Magical Mouse got bored and ate a hole in the knitting basket.
One day when she woke up the Old Lady had a funny feeling. What could it be? Something was different. The whole world was very quiet. Then she knew: the rain had stopped! The Old Lady jumped out of bed, and as fast as she could, she put on her knitted snood, her red flannel leggings with brass buttons, and her black rubber galoshes. She did not even stop to get her artificial fur muff.
"Lovely!" she said, looking at the bright sunshine sparkling on the wet leaves and grasses. Soon she was joined by all the animals. How glad they were to be outdoors again!
It was not long before the river had shrunk to its usual size. The townspeople took away the bags of sand and began buildng a new bridge. Soon the great rain and the flood were almost forgotten.
One warm summer afternoon the music of a brass band came floating in the windows. "My, my!" said the Yak, who loved music. They all ran to the front door to see what was happening. When they opened it there was the Mayor, just about to knock!
The band struck up a rousing tune. When it ws done, the Mayor held up his hand for silence so he could make a speech. "Dear Madame, you were not forgotten, ' he said to the Old Lady. "On behalf of all the people of the town, with our heartfelt thatnks, I wish to present you with this silver medal." And he reached into his pocket and uplled out a handsome red box which he handed to the Old Lady.
The band began to play again..
"Oh, no, it's not for me, it's for Alexander!" said the Old Lady. When the Mayor saw the Alligator he coughed nervously, but the Old Lady opened the box, took out the beautiful medal, and hung it proudly around Alexander's neck. She told the Mayor about Alexander's heroic swim. The Mayor and Alexander smiled shyly at each other. The Mayor even patted Alexander's nose. The band cheered.
Then the Old Lady invited everyone into the drawing room for tea. When finally all their guests had gone, teh Old Lady and the animals looked at each other.
"My, my" said the Yak.
"It is a lovely medal!" said the Old Lady.
"Humph!" said the Brindle London Squatting Cat, jealously, and he went off to take a nap.
Alexander just looked in the mirror and smiled. A tear of joy ran down his cheek. Inside a ball of yarn in the knitting basket the Magical Mouse smiled too.
THE END.
But Alexander did not answer. He did not even smile. The Old Lady felt his forehead. It was very hot. "Oh dear!" she said.
"Oh dear, oh dear!" whispered the Cat and the Yak, who had come in to see how Alexander was. The Old Lady made more ginger tea. The Yak made Yak butter especially to put in it. Even the Brindle London Squatting Cat did his part: he lay on Alexander's bed to keep his tail extra warm. But the Magical Mouse could not be found.
That night, long after everyone else was asleep, the Old Lady sat sadly beside Alexander's bed, ready in case he should want anything. At last she got up and went downstairs. "Magical Mouse, Magical Mouse, where are you?" she whispered.
"Asleep!" came a squeak from the chandelier.
"But Magical Mouse, how can I help Alexander?"
"Look on the tea table," said the Magical Mouse. There lay a tiny white cake. On it was written, in pink sugar letters, "FOR ALEXANDER".
"Oh, thank you, Magical Mouse!" whispered the Old Lady, and she tiptoed upstairs again. Gently she opened Alexander's mouth and put the tiny cake inside. As he swallowed he smiled, dreaming it was teatime.
The next morning it was as rainy as ever, but Alexander felt much better. After breakfast he and the Brindle London Squatting Cat played Monopoly on the bed until the Cat got cross because he was losing. The Old Lady was up in the topmost tower watching the river and the wall through the telescope. The town looked safe and secure.
Every day it rained and rained and rained. They lost track of how many days it had been raining. They were out of pickled watermelon and molasses and they were tired of all their games and books. The Brindle London Squatting Cat was grumpy all the time. Even the Magical Mouse got bored and ate a hole in the knitting basket.
One day when she woke up the Old Lady had a funny feeling. What could it be? Something was different. The whole world was very quiet. Then she knew: the rain had stopped! The Old Lady jumped out of bed, and as fast as she could, she put on her knitted snood, her red flannel leggings with brass buttons, and her black rubber galoshes. She did not even stop to get her artificial fur muff.
"Lovely!" she said, looking at the bright sunshine sparkling on the wet leaves and grasses. Soon she was joined by all the animals. How glad they were to be outdoors again!
It was not long before the river had shrunk to its usual size. The townspeople took away the bags of sand and began buildng a new bridge. Soon the great rain and the flood were almost forgotten.
One warm summer afternoon the music of a brass band came floating in the windows. "My, my!" said the Yak, who loved music. They all ran to the front door to see what was happening. When they opened it there was the Mayor, just about to knock!
The band struck up a rousing tune. When it ws done, the Mayor held up his hand for silence so he could make a speech. "Dear Madame, you were not forgotten, ' he said to the Old Lady. "On behalf of all the people of the town, with our heartfelt thatnks, I wish to present you with this silver medal." And he reached into his pocket and uplled out a handsome red box which he handed to the Old Lady.
The band began to play again..
"Oh, no, it's not for me, it's for Alexander!" said the Old Lady. When the Mayor saw the Alligator he coughed nervously, but the Old Lady opened the box, took out the beautiful medal, and hung it proudly around Alexander's neck. She told the Mayor about Alexander's heroic swim. The Mayor and Alexander smiled shyly at each other. The Mayor even patted Alexander's nose. The band cheered.
Then the Old Lady invited everyone into the drawing room for tea. When finally all their guests had gone, teh Old Lady and the animals looked at each other.
"My, my" said the Yak.
"It is a lovely medal!" said the Old Lady.
"Humph!" said the Brindle London Squatting Cat, jealously, and he went off to take a nap.
Alexander just looked in the mirror and smiled. A tear of joy ran down his cheek. Inside a ball of yarn in the knitting basket the Magical Mouse smiled too.
THE END.