Life was good in Rocksylvania for Miss Mousey and her friends as long as they didn't venture out too far at night. As there were only a few trees in all of Rocksylvania, and even those were spread very far apart, there weren't many hiding places from the evil lord of the night, Lord Ogelthorpe Owl.
Like most owls, he had a reputation for being very wise, but even the wise have to eat. Unfortunately for the mice, they were his favorite food. Mr. Owl slept all day, so the mice were safe and had complete freedom to go where they pleased. Come nightfall, it was another story. Old Mr. Owl would spread his wings and stretch, take a good look around from his perch up high in an ancient sycamore, and spotting his dinner, he would sweep down upon his main course before it ever saw him coming.
All of the mice in Rocksylvania knew about this, and didn't go outside at night unless it was an emergency. And even then, they took very elaborate precautions to remain hidden to Mr. Owl. Some of the more clever of the mice population camoflaged themselves as bushes before they ventured out. Our predator in this story hardly ever attacked bushes unless he had seen a delectable little mouse or other small creature run under it.
It so happened that the annual three-legged races were to be held soon, but this year they would not be in Rocksylvania. As Miss Mousey and Young Mr. Bunny were being challenged for the Mixed Doubles Championship by the team of Mr. Harold Hare and Miss Eloise Tortoise, a dubious combination at best, they were forced to travel to the far away land of Waterton. After all, Rocksylvania must retain the trophy, which was kept on permanent display in City Hall, located deep in the recesses of the old blue spruce tree.
It was a very long walk for our two friends as they made their way to Waterton, and the terrain became waterier and waterier the closer they got. As neither of them could swim, it was a perilous journey. After two days of travelling, the end was in sight, but alas, they had to cross the Catachumga River to get to Aguaburg, where the contest was to be held.
Looking around for a way to cross, the pair of friends spotted a most unsavory looking log, half-rotted and the other half full of water-repelling termites. Seeing no other way to cross the river, Miss Mousey and Young Mr. Bunny approached the log with trepidation. As they got closer, they saw a river otter sleeping next to it and hollered to him for assistance. "Hello there!" Young Mr. Bunny yelled, in only the way that male bunnies can do, "Is there perhaps another way across the river besides this log? We are here for the three-legged races." "I'm sorry, my good sir, but this is all we have to offer. If you hop on, I can tow you to the other side. It beats floating! Who knows where you would end up that way!" "Oliver Otter at your service," he added, but you may call me Ollie." Miss Mousey and Young Mr. Bunny stepped gingerly onto the log and settled themselves in while Ollie readied the lines, and roped himself into his towing harness.
It was a rather long trip across the river, and for the most part it went smoothly, until they were almost across when the termites became restless. It seems that they don't like water, and as their half of the log was now getting wet, it was time for them to move. It's a shame that Oliver Otter hadn't thought to warn them of the termites. The unfortunate incident could have been avoided entirely had they been prepared for the swarm of insects that took them by surprise.
Surprise? Did I say surprise? It was more like sheer fright! As the termites started to crawl across her most sensitive feet, Miss Mousey jumped straight up in the air as if she were on a trampoline, and in her landing back on the log, she somehow managed to tip it so that it was now standing upright, flinging Young Mr. Bunny to the opposite shore in the process.
As everyone knows, an upright log cannot float, even when being towed, and so it sank to the bottom of the Catachumga.
It was most unfortunate for poor Miss Mousey that she hadn't until this point in her life ever had any desire to swim. While most of her friends took frequent dips in the lake near the mighty oak tree, she had always preferred to sit on the shore, basking in the sun. If it weren't for Ollie Otter, she wouldn't be with us this day.
As the log tipped to its upright stance, Miss Mousey lost her footing and slid down the log until she too, sank to the bottom of the river, hitting her nose against the former tree and becoming entangled in the ropes. Ollie quickly recovered from the accident and scrambled out of his harness and was able to reach our poor little mouse friend in time to save her from drowning. He put one of his arms around her chest, and using his other free arm and webbed feet, was able to bring her to the surface of the water and shortly afterwards to safety. Young Mr. Bunny, watching fretfully from his safe vantage point on land, was much relieved when Oliver Otter brought his best friend to shore. I believe the termites all died, as we shall hear nothing more of them in this story.
