Good morning to the honourable judges, teachers and fellow students.

The title of my story is

The Princess Mouse.
Once there was a farmer with two sons. One morning he said to them, Boys, youre old enough
now to marry. !n our family, we ha"e our own way to choose a bride. The elder one continued,
#e must each cut down a tree and see where it $oints. Then wal% that way till we find a
sweetheart
The older son already %new who he wanted to marry. &e also %new how to cut a tree so it fell
how he wanted. The younger son, whose name was Mi%%o, didnt ha"e a sweetheart. #ell, maybe
he cut the tree wrong, so it fell $ointing to the forest.
The two young men went their ways. Mi%%o wal%ed through the forest for hours without and at
last he came to a cottage.
But when he went inside, he saw no one. 'll this way for nothing, he said sadly. Maybe not(
came a tiny "oice. Mi%%o loo%ed around, but the was just a little mouse on a table )id you say
something* he as%ed it.
Of course ! did( +ow, why dont you tell me your name and what you came for*
Mi%%o re$lied $olitely. My name is Mi%%o, and !"e come loo%ing for a sweetheart. The mouse
s,uealed in delight. !ll gladly be your sweetheart(
But youre only a mouse, said Mi%%o.That may be true but ! can still lo"e you faithfully.
Mi%%o loo%ed into those large, bright eyes and since hed found no one else anyway, he said, 'll
right, little mouse, you can be my sweetheart.
#hen Mi%%o got home, his father said to Mi%%o and his brother -Tomorrow youll as% them to
wea"e you some cloth, then youll bring it home to me.
Mi%%o went to the cottage to see the mouse. &e loo% sad and said to the mouse My father
wants you to wea"e some cloth. But how can you do that*
That may be true but !m also your sweetheart, and surely Mi%%os sweetheart can wea"e(
.ou must be tired from your wal%. #hy dont you rest while ! wor%.
&e lay down on a bed in the corner, and the little mouse sang him a $retty lullaby.
#hen Mi%%o was aslee$, all the mice came around to wea"e the cloth and tuc%ed it in a nutshell.
Once they were done, they all scam$ered bac% to their mouse holes.
Then she called, Mi%%o, wa%e u$( !ts time to go home( Mi%%o too% the nutshell and went home.
#hen he got home, his brother was $roudly $resenting the cloth from his sweetheart. 'nd
where is yours, Mi%%o* the father as%ed.
Mi%%o blushed and handed him the nutshell. The farmer o$ened the nutshell and out came a
linen, fine beyond belief. !t %e$t coming too, yard after yard after yard. There can be no better
wea"er than Mi%%os sweetheart( declared the farmer.
But both your sweethearts will do just fine. Tomorrow youll bring them home for the wedding.
#hen Mi%%o arri"ed at the cottage ne/t morning, the little mouse jum$ed u$ and down. Oh,
Mi%%o, is this the day of our wedding* !t is, little mouse. But he sounded more glum than e"er.
&ow can ! bring home a mouse to marry* 0"eryone will laugh and thin% !m a fool(
They might thin% so, indeed, she said softly. But, Mi%%o, what do you thin%*Mi%%o loo%ed at
the little mouse, ga1ing
at him so seriously with her large, bright eyes. &e thought about how she lo"ed him and cared
for him.
! thin% youre as sweet as any sweetheart could be. 2o let them laugh and thin% what they li%e.
Today youll be my bride.
The little mouse sang a $retty song.
Mi%%os sweetheart will ! be. #hat a fine young man is he( !n a carriage ! will ride. #hen ! go
to be his bride.
't last they reached the s$ot for the wedding, on the ban% of a lo"ely, swift3flowing stream.
The guests were already there enjoying themsel"es. But as Mi%%o came u$, they all grew silent
and stared at the little carriage. Thats the stu$idest thing ! e"er saw, said his brother, and
with one ,uic% %ic%, sent the carriage, the rats, and the mice, all into the stream. Before Mi%%o
could do a thing, the current bore them away. #hat ha"e you done( cried Mi%%o. .ou"e %illed
my sweetheart(
're you cra1y* said his brother. That was only a mouse(
2he may ha"e been a mouse, said Mi%%o tearfully, but she was also my sweetheart, and !
really did lo"e her(
&e was about to swing at his brother, when his father called, Mi%%o, loo%(
2uddenly, a carriage rode u$ along the ban% with a lo"ely $rincess in a gown of $early "el"et and
sto$$ed right before him. Mi%%o, said the $rincess, arent you going to hel$ me down*
Mi%%o stared blan%ly a moment, and then his eyes flew wide. 're you the little mouse*
! surely was, said the $rincess, ' witch enchanted me, and the s$ell could be bro%en only by
one brother who wanted to marry me. 'nd a grand wedding it was, with Mi%%os bride the wonder
of all.
Than% you.