CHEDDARTON
MOUSETTES WIN SOCCER TITLE
By Toni
Tinypaw
NEW MOUSE CITYCheddarton beat Swissville 1-0 in the suspenseful
final game of the playoff for the junior division championship
of the Mouse Island Female Soccer League. Nine-year-old Priscilla Tutu Small
was the winning scorer, making the game's only goal in the
final seconds of play.
Cheddarton's star got her nickname when she rushed to practice
one day after ballet class, forgetting to change out of her
dance costume. She's been called Tutu Small ever since, and
the name fits, because the tiny mouse barely reaches her
teammates' shoulders. But little as she is, Small has been
known to strike terror into the hearts of the beefiest goalies.
In this beautifully played game, solid defense held both
teams scoreless until the last minute of play. Finally, team
captain Xena Havarti saw her opportunity. Dribbling the ball
down the left side of the field, she twisted and turned through
the defenders. As she approached the corner, she swerved
and kicked the ball right across the open goal.
Small had positioned herself to receive the pass, but it
looked too high for her. For a split second, it seemed like
Cheddarton's last scoring opportunity was over. But Tutu,
thanks to her dance training, executed a perfect ballet leap.
She rose to meet the ball in midair and tapped it in with
the tip of her upraised tail. The crowd went wild and the
Mousettes mobbed their little hero, practically smothering
her with hugs.
When asked after the game if she hoped to play on the Mouse
Island Olympic team one day, she said, When I grow up, I
want to be a soccer player and a ballet dancer.
Judging by her performance today, it looks like both of Tutu
Small's dreams will come true.
EXPEDITION
FINDS NEW KING OF THE JUNGLE
By Teddy von Muffler
AFRICATen years ago, while on safari in the African jungle,
Sam and Janet Ratney lost their infant son Travis. It seems
that the baby rat, then just a few weeks old, was kidnapped
by wild monkeys. The Ratneys have never stopped hoping that
Travis was still alive, but no one ever found any trace of
him. Until now.
An expedition sent by the Mouseum of Natural History reports
that they have found a young rat who must be the missing
Ratney baby. Dr. Jessica Smartwhiskers, a scientist with
the expedition, says that Travis was raised by his monkey
captors and has grown up as one of them. He calls himself
Zan-Rat, a name that means jungle lord in monkey language.
Dr. Smartwhiskers is learning to communicate with him. They
have become good friends, and she has even been allowed to
visit his rat hole high in the trees.
She has learned that Zan-Rat speaks the languages of all
the wild animals, and through his courage and cunning, has
become King of the animals. His bloodcurdling battle squeak
is a terror to all who would invade his kingdom. When he's
not moving swiftly through the trees by swinging from vine
to vine, he travels through the jungle on the back of a huge
warthog. His monkey training has given him powerful muscles,
and he can wrestle a full-grown mongoose to the ground with
his bare paws. Furthermore, he may be the only rat in history
who can hang from a branch by his tail.
When asked if she was afraid of her wild new friend, Jessica
said, Not at all. He may be wild when he's with the monkeys,
but he's a perfect gentleman with me. I think he's kind of
cute.
Did she think she could tame the mighty Zan-Rat? Jessica had
a quick answer to that one: I certainly hope not. He's perfect
just the way he is..
© EDIZIONI
PIEMME – ITALY
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