The Vain Mouse

In a small house by the river lived a little mouse. One day, while walking in the forest, she found a coin. "What should I buy with it?" she pondered for a long time and finally decided to buy a ribbon. The little mouse went to the rabbit's shop and chose a beautiful pink ribbon. In the evening, wearing her prettiest dress and tying the ribbon, she invited her neighbor, the rooster, for tea. When he saw how lovely his little neighbor looked in her new outfit, the rooster decided to marry her. But the mouse didn't like his loud, piercing voice, and she turned him down. After seeing the rooster off, she sat by the window. At that moment, a duckling and a donkey passed by her house. Seeing the charming hostess, they both fell head over heels in love with her and immediately proposed. "First, I want to hear your voices," said the picky mouse. The duckling began to quack, and the donkey sharply brayed, "Hee-haw!" The mouse, horrified, covered her ears. "Get out of here right now!" she shouted and slammed the window shut in the faces of the unlucky suitors.

The mouse went to bed, but she couldn't sleep and felt inexplicably sad. Upset, she sat on the porch and saw a puppy passing by.

"How lovely you are, little mouse. Marry me!"

"But I would like to hear your voice first."

"Oh, that's quite simple," said the puppy and barked loudly.

"How rough your voice is. I could never agree to be your wife," the mouse said.

The next day, she went shopping in town and on the way met a kitten. "Oh, how I dream of such a wife! Finally, I've met you, my little darling. Will you make me the happiest cat alive?" Listening to his soft, insinuating voice, the mouse, overwhelmed with happiness, whispered, "Yes." It was a wonderful wedding, and there was no happier bride in the world! But by evening, the kitten grew hungry and pounced on his bride, trying to swallow her.

Fortunately, the mouse managed to escape from the cat's sharp claws. Sitting on a log in her torn wedding dress, weeping, she cursed her excessive pickiness. Only now did she understand how appearances and voices can be deceiving.

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The Vain Mouse

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