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Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome back to Sleepy Stories. I'm your host, Lucy,

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and my friends and I will be reading you a

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sleepy bedtime story every week to relax you and to

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help you to drift off into a RESTful sleep. From

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time to time, we will also read you a relaxing,

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peaceful meditation that will take you somewhere beautiful and calming.

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Once we have read the stories, we will then read

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them a second time, but this time they will be

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read even slower. This will help you to relax even more.

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Before we begin, I would like you to close your

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eyes and breathe in and out nice and deeply. Take

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a few seconds to inhale, and then hold your breath

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for a few seconds more, and then release and breathe out.

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Do this a few times if you need to. While

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you listen to the music and you listen to my voice,

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give yourself time to let your body relax and your

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mind settle. It's important that we allow time for our

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cells to feel safe, cozy, and completely at ease. And

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now it's time for this week's story.

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Speaker 2: Mabel Mouse and the Map that Sneezed. Mabel Mouse lived

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in the skirting board of number seven Crumblewick lane behind

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a loose bit of wallpaper, shaped if you squinted like

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a turnip. She was not the biggest mouse in the house,

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nor the fastest, nor the quietest, especially when eating crackers,

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but she was certainly the most curious. Curiosity Her aunt

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Agatha often said is what gets mice trapped in teapots,

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but Mabel thought teapots sounded rather interesting. One rainy Tuesday,

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while the humans were out and the cat was asleep

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in the airing cupboard wearing a sock on his head,

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Mabel decided to explore the attic. The attic was strictly forbidden.

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This naturally made it irresistible. She climbed the curtain cord,

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crossed the bookshelf, squeezed through a crack in the ceiling,

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and popped into a world of dust trunks, forgotten umbrellas,

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and boxes labeled things like Christmas tax papers and do

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not open bees. Mabel's whiskers twitched. She ignored the bee

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box because she was adventurous, not ridiculous. At the far

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end of the attic sat an old leather trunk with

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brass corners and a lock shaped like a grumpy frog.

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On top of it lay a rolled up piece of

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parchment tied with blue ribbon. Mabel tugged the ribbon loose.

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The parchment unrolled itself with a dramatic flap. It was

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a map, not an ordinary map with sensible things like roads,

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rivers and post office. This way, this map showed places

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Mabel had never heard of. The pudding Marshes, Mount Crumpet,

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the Forest of Lost hats, and a tiny island marked

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with a red X. Across the top, in curly writing

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were the words map of where you probably shouldn't go.

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Mabel's eyes shone, well, she said, that's an exactly like

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somewhere I should go. The map trembled, then it sneezed

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air tissue. A cloud of glittering dust burst from the

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parchment and blue Mabel backwards into a box of old scarves.

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When she sat up, the attic was gone, So was

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number seven Crumblewick Lane, So worryingly was the floor. Mabel

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was sitting in the middle of a field of enormous mushrooms,

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each one wearing a tiny weather Vein the sky was

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lemon yellow. A beetle the size of a teapot rolled past,

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wearing spectacles. The map sniffed, oh, dear, it said, wrong turn.

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Mabel stared at it. You can talk only when I'm congested,

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said the map, and I'm always congested. It sneezed again,

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and a small compass rose popped out of its corner

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like a paper flower. Mabel stood up, brushed scarf fluff

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from her ears, and tried to look braver than she felt.

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Where are we? The map wriggled, somewhere between here there

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and that won't end. Well, that isn't very helpful. I'm

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a magical map, not a librarian. Mabel peered at the parchment.

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The red X was blinking. What's that the place you're

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meant to go? I thought it was where I probably

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shouldn't go. Yes, said the map, same thing usually. Before

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Mabel could ask another question, there came a loud honk

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from behind a mushroom. Out waddled a goose. She wore

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a blue waistcoat, carried a walking stick, and had the

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expression of someone who had been inconvenienced by life in general. Tickets, please,

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said the goose. Mabel blinked. Tickets for what the adventure?

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I didn't know I needed one. Everyone needs a ticket,

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otherwise it's just wandering. Mabel checked her pockets. She had

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a bread crumb, a button, and half a raisin. The

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goose inspected them sternly. The button will do. Mabel handed

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it over. The goose tucked it into her waistcoat. Name Mabel, Mouse, occupation, curious,

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dangerously common profession, said the goose. I'm Gertrude. I'll be

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your guide until I become bored, offended, or peckish. The

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map sneezed so hard it folded itself into a hat.

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Gertrude frowned, Oh no, not that map. You know it,

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know it. It once sent my cousin to a volcano

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because he asked for somewhere warm. The map sniffed indignantly.

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He said he wanted sunshine. He came back lightly toasted.

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Mabel looked from Gertrude to the blinking red ex. What's

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at the ex? Gertrude lowered her voice, the bell of

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small but important things. Mabel's ears perked up. What does

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it do? It rings when something small does something brave?

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That sounds lovely it is, said Gertrude, which is why

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the weasel king stole it. A chilly breeze slipped through

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the mushroom field. Even the weather veins stopped spinning. The

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weasel King, Gertrude continued, believes only large, loud, important creatures

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should be celebrated. He keeps the bell locked in his

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castle beyond the pudding marshes. Mabel put a paw on

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her chest. But small creatures can be brave, exactly, said Gertrude.

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The map gave a tiny sneeze, and that is why

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it chose you. Mabel swallowed. She had expected the attic

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to contain perhaps old postcards or a biscuit tin. She

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had not expected destiny. Still, destiny was looking at her expectantly,

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and Gertrude had already begun marching, so Mabel followed. They

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crossed the mushroom field, where one mushroom predicted drizzle and

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another predicted custard. They passed a pond full of frogs

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rehearsing an opera called The Tragic Turnip. They entered the

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Forest of lost hats, where every tree wore at least three.

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Do not try on the hats, warned Gertrude. Why last

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squirrel who did became a mayor. That doesn't sound too

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bad of a bucket. Mabel kept her paws to herself.

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Halfway through the forest, they heard crying. It was coming

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from beneath a velvet top. Mabel lifted the brim and

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found a hedgehog tangled in a ribbon. Oh, said the hedgehog,

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Thank crumbs, I've been trapped for hours. Mabel carefully untied him.

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The hedgehog stood bowed and immediately got the ribbons stuck

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on his other foot. My name is Horace, he said,

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explorer inventor, part time jam critic. I'm Mabel. This is Gertrude. Delighted,

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said Horace. Are you on a quest? Yes, said Mabel,

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feeling proud and terrified. Excellent, I've always wanted to be

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on a quest. I have provisions. He opened a tiny

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satchel and revealed three biscuits, a spoon, a cork, and

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something that looked like a sock, but with apparently a tent.

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Gertrude sighed fine, but no singing. Horace gasped, what about humming?

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Quiet humming? What about heroic humming?

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Speaker 1: No?

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Speaker 2: They continued. By sunset they reached the edge of the

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pudding marshes. The marsh stretched before them, thick and wobbling,

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with little bubbles of custard popping on the surface. Signposts

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leaned at odd angles. One read this way to certain doom,

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another read this way to probable doom. A third simply

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read sausage. We go that way, said the map, pointing

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towards certain doom. Absolutely not, said Gertrude. The maps sneezed,

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the signs spun round. Now certain doom pointed at sausages.

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That's cheating, said Mabel. That's navigation, said the map. They

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stepped carefully onto the marsh. Squish, wobble, PLoP. Horace poked

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the surface with his spoon. Butterscotch. Do not eat the marsh,

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said Gertrude. I was identifying it scientifically. You have pudding

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on your nose. That is part of the process. They

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were halfway across when the marsh began to tremble. A

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huge bubble rose, then another. Then something enormous emerged with

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a wet schlurping sound. It was a frog, A very

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large frog, A very large frog wearing a crown made

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from teaspoons. Who squelches in my pudding? Boomed the frog.

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Mabel stepped forward, her knees wobbled almost as much as

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the marsh. I'm Mabel, mouse, We're trying to reach the

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weasel King's castle. The frog blinked, dreadful place, no manners,

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no dessert spoons. We need to rescue the bell of

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small but important things. The frog leaned closer. Are you small?

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Speaker 1: Yes?

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Speaker 2: Are you important? Mabel hesitated She did not feel important.

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She felt damp. Then Horace whispered, you rescued me from

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a hat. Gertrude whispered, you paid for your ticket. The

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map whispered, you haven't thrown me into a ditch, which

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shows remarkable character. Mabel stood taller. Yes, she said, I

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think I might be. The frog smiled, good answer. He

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lowered one enormous webbed foot, making a bridge across the

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marsh pass, small brave thing. They crossed safely. At the

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far side, the frog called, beware the castle guards. They

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are very serious and deeply allergic to nonsense. Gertrude smiled

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for the first time. Luckily, she said, we have plenty

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night fell As they climbed Mount Crumpet, the moon rose

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round and buttery. The map glowed faintly, showing a path

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between rocks shaped like sleeping buns. At the summit stood

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the weasel King's castle. It was tall, dark, pointy and

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trying far too hard to look frightening. Black flags snapped

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in the wind. A moat circled the walls. Over the

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gate hung a sign no mice, no hedgehogs, no geese,

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no fun Horace tuttered bit Rude. Gertrude narrowed her eyes.

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We need a plan. The map sneezed. A tiny door

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appeared in the castle wall. Mabel grinned, that'll do. They

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crept inside and found themselves in the royal kitchen. It

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was enormous. Copper pans hung from the ceiling, shell groaned

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with pies, cakes, tarts, and one suspiciously nervous jelly. At

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the center of the kitchen, three weasel cooks argued over soup.

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It needs more pepper, said one. It needs more carrots,

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said another. It needs less personality, said the third. Gertrude whispered,

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follow me. They tiptoed behind flower sects, under tables and

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passed a sleeping catfish in a bowl. Then the map sneezed.

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Not a small sneeze, not a polite sneeze, A thunderous, catastrophic,

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castle rattling sneeze. Flower exploded everywhere. The weasel cooks shrieked.

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The nervous jelly fainted, Mabel girt, and Horace froze completely

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white with flower One cook pointed ghosts. Horace, thinking quickly

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raised his spoon. Ooh, he said, we are the spirits

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of badly seasoned soup. The cook screamed and ran. Gertrude

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stared at him. Horace beamed heroic nonsense. They hurried from

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the kitchen and up a spiral staircase. At the top

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was a corridor lined with portraits of the weasel King,

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looking important in different hats in each painting. He stood

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on a box to seem taller. At the end of

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the corridor was a golden door. Behind it, they heard

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a tiny silver sound ding. Mabel's heart lifted the bell.

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She whispered, But between them and the door stood two guards.

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They were tall, thin weasels with helmets too large for

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their heads. Halt, said the first, Password said the second.

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Mabel looked at Gertrude. Gertrude looked at Horace. Horace looked

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at the map. The map sniffed thoughtfully, then sneezed. A

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word appeared on the parchment banana. Mabel frowned really. The

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map shrugged its corners. Mabel faced the guards banana. The

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guards gasped, she knows it impossible. Let her pass. Rules

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are rules. They opened the door. Gertrude whispered, that was

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the password. The map whispered back, weasels are not complicated.

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Inside was the throne room. It was grand and gloomy,

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full of velvet curtains and golden chairs that nobody was

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allowed to sit on. And there, hanging in a glass

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cage above the throne was the bell of small but

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important things. It was no bigger than an acorn, cup,

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silver as moonlight, with a handle shaped like a mouse tail.

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On the throne sat the weasel King. He wore a crown,

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a cape, and boots with heels. He was practicing a

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speech in a mirror. I am mighty, I am magnificent.

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I am. He spotted them being burgled. Mabel stepped forward.

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We've come for the bell. The weasel King laughed. It

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was a sharp, unpleasant laugh, like a fork dropped downstairs.

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You a mouse. You are tiny, yes, said Mabel, you

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are quiet. Sometimes you are unimportant. Mabel felt the words

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pinch her heart. Then she remembered the frog in the

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pudding marsh. She remembered Horace under the hat. She remembered

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Gertrude accepting a button as a ticket. She remembered that

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even small paws could climb a long way. No, said Mabel,

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I'm small. That isn't the same thing. The bell trembled

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in its cage, ding. The weasel King's eyes widened. Stop that,

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Mabel took another step. Small things matter. A seed becomes

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a tree, a spark becomes a fire. A mouse can

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find a door no giant could enter. Ding. Horace lifted

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his spoon. A biscuit crumb can save a hungry hedgehog ding.

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Gertrude raised her walking stick. Her button can buy an adventure. Ding.

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The bell rang louder and louder until the glass cage cracked.

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The weasel King clapped his paws over his ears. Stop

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being inspiring at once. Mabel climbed the throne, leapt onto

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the arm, scrambled up the curtain, and swung from the

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cord above the bell. The map sneezed one final mighty sneeze.

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The glass cage burst open in a shower of harmless glitter.

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Mabel caught the bell the moment her paws touched it.

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The whole castle changed. The dark walls turned warm gold,

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the pointy towers softened into round ones. The horrible sign

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outside rewrote itself mice, hedgehogs, geese, and fun welcome. The

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weasel King shrank, not in size exactly, but in importance.

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His crown slipped over his eyes. But I'm the king,

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he squeaked. Gertrude tapped her walking stick. Then try being

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a better one. Horace offered him a biscuit. The weasel

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King stared at it. No one had ever offered him

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a biscuit before he took it. It is difficult to

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remain entirely wicked while eating a nice biscuit. By morning,

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the bell was returned to the center of the kingdom,

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hung from a little wooden arch in a meadow where

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everyone could reach it. Creatures came from everywhere, beetles, frogs, squirrels, moths, rabbits,

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and a snail who arrived three days early by mistake.

246
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The bell rang for all sorts of things, for the

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ant who carried a crumb twice her size, For the

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mole who admitted he was lost, For the spider who

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knitted socks for cold worms, For Horace, who successfully folded

250
00:24:57,799 --> 00:25:03,079
his sock tent for go Gertrude, who smiled twice before lunch,

251
00:25:04,279 --> 00:25:07,680
and for Mabel Mouse, who had gone into an attic

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and found not just a map but her own courage.

253
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At last, the map began to glow. Time to go home,

254
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it said. Mabel felt a little sad. Will I ever

255
00:25:24,759 --> 00:25:30,359
come back? The map sniffed, Probably when you least expect it.

256
00:25:31,519 --> 00:25:35,799
Gertrude gave Mabel a small salute with her walking stick.

257
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Horace hugged her very carefully because of the prickles. Take

258
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a biscuit for the journey, he said. Mabel took one.

259
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The map sneezed a t shoe. The world spun, the

260
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meadow vanished, the castle diss peered, The lemon yellow sky

261
00:26:03,240 --> 00:26:08,640
folded itself away like a blanket. Mabel landed in the

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attic of number seven Crumblewick Lane, right inside the box

263
00:26:13,680 --> 00:26:19,799
of old scarves. Rain tapped the roof. The cat snored

264
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below the trunk sat quietly in the corner. The map

265
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lay in front of her, rolled up and tied with

266
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blue ribbon. For a moment, Mabel wondered if she had

267
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dreamed it all. Then something silver jingled in her pocket.

268
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She reached in and pulled out a tiny bell, no

269
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bigger than an acorn cup. It rang once ding. Aunt

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Agatha called from below, Mabel, are you in the attic?

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Mabel topped the bell safely under her arm. Yes, aunt Agatha,

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you know curiosity gets mice trapped in teapots. Mabel smiled. Maybe,

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she said, but sometimes it gets them home again with

274
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a story. And from inside the rolled up map came

275
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a very small, very suspicious sound. Ah. Mabel grinned, don't

276
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you dare Mabel Mouse and the map that sneezed. Mabel

277
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Mouse lived in the skirting board of number seven Crumblewick Lane,

278
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behind a loose bit of wallpaper shaped if you squinted,

279
00:28:16,240 --> 00:28:19,720
like a turnip. She was not the biggest mouse in

280
00:28:19,759 --> 00:28:24,880
the house, nor the fastest, nor the quietest, especially when

281
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eating crackers, but she was certainly the most curious. Curiosity

282
00:28:31,119 --> 00:28:35,880
her aunt Agatha often said, is what gets mice trapped

283
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in teapots. But Mabel thought teapots sounded rather interesting. One

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rainy Tuesday, while the humans were out and the cat

285
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was asleep in the airing cupboard wearing a sock on

286
00:28:50,519 --> 00:28:55,599
his head, Mabel decided to explore the attic. The attic

287
00:28:55,799 --> 00:29:03,440
was strictly forbidden. This naturally made it irresistible. She climbed

288
00:29:03,480 --> 00:29:08,440
the curtain cord, crossed the bookshelf, squeezed through a crack

289
00:29:08,519 --> 00:29:12,920
in the ceiling, and popped into a world of dust trunks,

290
00:29:13,319 --> 00:29:19,920
forgotten umbrellas, and boxes labeled things like Christmas tax papers

291
00:29:20,319 --> 00:29:27,000
and do not open bees. Mabel's whiskers twitched. She ignored

292
00:29:27,039 --> 00:29:32,400
the bee box because she was adventurous, not ridiculous. At

293
00:29:32,440 --> 00:29:35,759
the far end of the attic sat an old leather

294
00:29:35,839 --> 00:29:40,119
trunk with brass corners and a lock shaped like a

295
00:29:40,160 --> 00:29:44,240
grumpy frog. On top of it lay a rolled up

296
00:29:44,279 --> 00:29:49,440
piece of parchment tied with blue ribbon. Mabel tugged the

297
00:29:49,519 --> 00:29:55,039
ribbon loose, the parchment unrolled itself with a dramatic flap.

298
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It was a map, not an ordinary mi map with

299
00:30:01,119 --> 00:30:06,759
sensible things like roads, rivers and post office. This way,

300
00:30:07,839 --> 00:30:11,839
this map showed places Mabel had never heard of. The

301
00:30:11,880 --> 00:30:17,480
pudding Marshes, Mount Crumpet, the Forest of Lost Hats, and

302
00:30:17,559 --> 00:30:22,519
a tiny island marked with a red X. Across the top.

303
00:30:22,960 --> 00:30:27,440
In curly writing were the words map of where you

304
00:30:27,559 --> 00:30:35,200
probably shouldn't go. Mabel's eyes shone. Well, she said, that

305
00:30:35,480 --> 00:30:40,599
sounds exactly like somewhere I should go. The map trembled,

306
00:30:41,720 --> 00:30:48,880
then it sneezed air tissue. A cloud of glittering dust

307
00:30:49,119 --> 00:30:53,880
burst from the parchment and blue Mabel backwards into a

308
00:30:53,960 --> 00:30:58,599
box of old scarves. When she sat up, the attic

309
00:30:58,839 --> 00:31:06,720
was gone. So was number seven Crumblewick Lane. So worryingly

310
00:31:07,440 --> 00:31:11,119
was the floor. Mabel was sitting in the middle of

311
00:31:11,160 --> 00:31:16,079
a field of enormous mushrooms, each one wearing a tiny

312
00:31:16,119 --> 00:31:20,920
weather Vein the sky was lemon yellow. A beetle the

313
00:31:21,000 --> 00:31:27,079
size of a teapot rolled past, wearing spectacles. The map sniffed,

314
00:31:28,240 --> 00:31:34,519
Oh dear, it said, wrong turn. Mabel stared at it.

315
00:31:35,680 --> 00:31:40,599
You can talk only when I'm congested, said the map,

316
00:31:40,920 --> 00:31:46,119
and I'm always congested. It sneezed again, and a small

317
00:31:46,119 --> 00:31:50,000
compass rose popped out of its corner like a paper flower.

318
00:31:51,200 --> 00:31:55,519
Mabel stood up, brushed scarf fluff from her ears, and

319
00:31:55,640 --> 00:31:59,480
tried to look braver than she felt. Where are we?

320
00:32:00,759 --> 00:32:07,720
The map wriggled, somewhere between here there and that won't end. Well,

321
00:32:08,799 --> 00:32:14,440
that isn't very helpful. I'm a magical map, not a librarian.

322
00:32:15,640 --> 00:32:19,920
Mabel peered at the parchment. The red ex was blinking.

323
00:32:21,119 --> 00:32:26,119
What's that the place you're meant to go? I thought

324
00:32:26,200 --> 00:32:30,640
it was where I probably shouldn't go. Yes, said the map,

325
00:32:31,119 --> 00:32:36,519
same thing usually. Before Mabel could ask another question, there

326
00:32:36,559 --> 00:32:41,200
came a loud honk from behind a mushroom. Out waddled

327
00:32:41,240 --> 00:32:46,599
a goose. She wore a blue waistcoat, carried a walking stick,

328
00:32:47,039 --> 00:32:51,519
and had the expression of someone who had been inconvenienced

329
00:32:51,640 --> 00:32:58,319
by life in general. Tickets, please, said the goose. Mabel blinked.

330
00:32:58,720 --> 00:33:05,559
Tickets for what the adventure? I didn't know I needed one.

331
00:33:05,599 --> 00:33:11,440
Everyone needs a ticket otherwise it's just wandering. Mabel checked

332
00:33:11,480 --> 00:33:15,319
her pockets. She had a bread crumb, a button, and

333
00:33:15,480 --> 00:33:21,519
half a raisin. The goose inspected them sternly. The button

334
00:33:21,559 --> 00:33:26,920
will do. Mabel handed it over. The goose tucked it

335
00:33:27,079 --> 00:33:38,039
into her waistcoat. Name Mabel, Mouse, occupation, curious, dangerously common profession,

336
00:33:38,400 --> 00:33:42,720
said the goose. I'm Gertrude. I'll be your guide until

337
00:33:42,759 --> 00:33:48,440
I become bored, offended, or peckish. The map sneezed so

338
00:33:48,720 --> 00:33:54,640
hard it folded itself into a hat. Gertrude frowned, Oh no,

339
00:33:55,440 --> 00:34:01,279
not that map. You know it, know it. It once

340
00:34:01,359 --> 00:34:04,880
sent my cousin to a volcano because he asked for

341
00:34:05,000 --> 00:34:12,960
somewhere warm. The map sniffed indignantly. He said he wanted sunshine.

342
00:34:13,000 --> 00:34:18,159
He came back lightly toasted. Mabel looked from Gertrude to

343
00:34:18,239 --> 00:34:24,400
the blinking red X. What's at the X? Gertrude lowered

344
00:34:24,440 --> 00:34:30,800
her voice, the bell of small but important things. Mabel's

345
00:34:30,800 --> 00:34:36,199
ears perked up. What does it do? It rings when

346
00:34:36,280 --> 00:34:42,760
something small does something brave. That sounds lovely, it is,

347
00:34:43,320 --> 00:34:47,320
said Gertrude, which is why the weasel king stole it.

348
00:34:48,519 --> 00:34:53,199
A chilly breeze slipped through the mushroom field. Even the

349
00:34:53,199 --> 00:35:00,199
weather veins stopped spinning. The weasel King, Gertrude continued, believes

350
00:35:00,000 --> 00:35:05,559
it's only large, loud, important creatures should be celebrated. He

351
00:35:05,719 --> 00:35:09,960
keeps the bell locked in his castle beyond the pudding marshes.

352
00:35:11,159 --> 00:35:15,800
Mabel put a paw on her chest. But small creatures

353
00:35:16,280 --> 00:35:22,360
can be brave. Exactly, said Gertrude. The map gave a

354
00:35:22,440 --> 00:35:28,559
tiny sneeze, and that is why it chose you. Mabel swallowed.

355
00:35:29,679 --> 00:35:34,519
She had expected the attic to contain perhaps old postcards

356
00:35:34,599 --> 00:35:40,400
or a biscuit tin. She had not expected Destiny. Still,

357
00:35:40,960 --> 00:35:45,519
Destiny was looking at her expectantly, and Gertrude had already

358
00:35:45,559 --> 00:35:52,119
begun marching, so Mabel followed. They crossed the mushroom field,

359
00:35:52,559 --> 00:35:57,800
where one mushroom predicted drizzle and another predicted custard. They

360
00:35:57,880 --> 00:36:02,119
passed a pond full of frogs rehearsing an opera called

361
00:36:02,119 --> 00:36:06,480
The Tragic Turnip. They entered the Forest of Lost hats,

362
00:36:06,880 --> 00:36:11,639
where every tree wore at least three. Do not try

363
00:36:11,679 --> 00:36:17,960
on the hats, warned Gertrude. Why last squirrel who did

364
00:36:18,400 --> 00:36:25,000
became a mayor. That doesn't sound too bad of a bucket.

365
00:36:25,039 --> 00:36:30,199
Mabel kept her paws to herself. Half way through the forest,

366
00:36:30,760 --> 00:36:35,360
they heard crying. It was coming from beneath a velvet

367
00:36:35,400 --> 00:36:40,159
top hat. Mabel lifted the brim and found a hedgehog

368
00:36:40,280 --> 00:36:45,639
tangled in a ribbon. Oh, said the hedgehog, Thank crumbs,

369
00:36:46,239 --> 00:36:52,239
I've been trapped for hours. Mabel carefully untied him. The

370
00:36:52,280 --> 00:36:56,880
hedgehog stood bowed and immediately got the ribbons stuck on

371
00:36:57,000 --> 00:37:03,880
his other foot. My name is Horace, he said, explorer inventor,

372
00:37:04,360 --> 00:37:11,239
part time jam critic. I'm Mabel. This is Gertrude. Delighted,

373
00:37:11,639 --> 00:37:16,599
said Horace. Are you on a quest, Yes, said Mabel,

374
00:37:16,960 --> 00:37:22,360
feeling proud and terrified. Excellent, I've always wanted to be

375
00:37:22,400 --> 00:37:27,440
on a quest. I have provisions. He opened a tiny

376
00:37:27,519 --> 00:37:33,079
satchel and revealed three biscuits, a spoon, a cork, and

377
00:37:33,199 --> 00:37:37,199
something that looked like a sock but was apparently a tent.

378
00:37:38,440 --> 00:37:46,599
Gertrude sighed fine, but no singing. Horace gasped, what about humming?

379
00:37:47,920 --> 00:37:51,880
Quiet humming? What about heroic humming?

380
00:37:53,119 --> 00:37:53,199
Speaker 1: No?

381
00:37:54,559 --> 00:37:59,199
Speaker 2: They continued. By sunset, they reached the edge of the

382
00:37:59,239 --> 00:38:05,440
pudding marshes. The marsh stretched before them, thick and wobbling,

383
00:38:05,880 --> 00:38:10,639
with little bubbles of custard popping on the surface. Signposts

384
00:38:10,760 --> 00:38:16,480
leaned at odd angles. One read this way to certain doom,

385
00:38:16,800 --> 00:38:22,800
another read this way to probable doom. A third simply

386
00:38:22,840 --> 00:38:28,679
read sausage. We go that way, said the map, pointing

387
00:38:28,760 --> 00:38:36,280
toward certain doom. Absolutely not, said Gertrude. The map sneezed,

388
00:38:36,840 --> 00:38:41,960
the signs spun round. Now certain doom pointed at sausages.

389
00:38:43,159 --> 00:38:49,800
That's cheating, said Mabel. That's navigation, said the map. They

390
00:38:49,880 --> 00:38:59,039
stepped carefully onto the marsh. Squish, wobble, PLoP. Horace poked

391
00:38:59,119 --> 00:39:05,000
the surface with his spoon butterscotch. Do not eat the marsh,

392
00:39:05,360 --> 00:39:12,000
said Gertrude. I was identifying it scientifically. You have pudding

393
00:39:12,079 --> 00:39:17,360
on your nose. That is part of the process. They

394
00:39:17,360 --> 00:39:21,320
were half way across when the marsh began to tremble.

395
00:39:21,840 --> 00:39:28,920
A huge bubble rose, then another. Then something enormous emerged

396
00:39:29,280 --> 00:39:34,360
with a wet schlurping sound. It was a frog, A

397
00:39:34,480 --> 00:39:39,360
very large frog, A very large frog wearing a crown

398
00:39:39,840 --> 00:39:45,599
made from teaspoons, whose squelches in my pudding boomed the frog.

399
00:39:46,719 --> 00:39:51,239
Mabel stepped forward, her knees wobbled almost as much as

400
00:39:51,280 --> 00:39:55,840
the marsh. I'm Mabel Mouse. We're trying to reach the

401
00:39:55,840 --> 00:40:02,760
weasel King's castle. The frog blinked, dreadful place, no manners,

402
00:40:03,239 --> 00:40:08,079
no dessert spoons. We need to rescue the bell of

403
00:40:08,239 --> 00:40:16,559
small but important things. The frog leaned closer. Are you small? Yes?

404
00:40:17,880 --> 00:40:24,159
Are you important? Mabel hesitated. She did not feel important.

405
00:40:24,719 --> 00:40:30,079
She felt damp. Then Horace whispered, you rescued me from

406
00:40:30,079 --> 00:40:36,360
a hat. Gertrude whispered, you paid for your ticket. The

407
00:40:36,440 --> 00:40:41,400
map whispered, you haven't thrown me into a ditch, which

408
00:40:41,440 --> 00:40:49,079
shows remarkable character. Mabel stood taller. Yes, she said, I

409
00:40:49,239 --> 00:40:55,800
think I might be. The frog smiled, good answer. He

410
00:40:55,840 --> 00:41:00,239
lowered one enormous webbed foot, making a bridge across the

411
00:41:00,280 --> 00:41:08,239
marsh pass, small brave thing. They crossed safely. At the

412
00:41:08,280 --> 00:41:13,239
far side, the frog called, beware the castle guards. They

413
00:41:13,280 --> 00:41:19,480
are very serious and deeply allergic to nonsense. Gertrude smiled

414
00:41:19,559 --> 00:41:24,199
for the first time. Luckily, she said, we have plenty

415
00:41:25,519 --> 00:41:30,199
night fell. As they climbed Mount Crumpet, the moon rose

416
00:41:30,599 --> 00:41:35,199
round and buttery. The map glowed faintly, showing a path

417
00:41:35,320 --> 00:41:41,039
between rocks shaped like sleeping buns. At the summit stood

418
00:41:41,239 --> 00:41:47,320
the weasel King's castle. It was tall, dark, pointy, and

419
00:41:47,440 --> 00:41:53,159
trying far too hard to look frightening. Black flags snapped

420
00:41:53,159 --> 00:41:57,880
in the wind. A moat circled the walls. Over the

421
00:41:57,960 --> 00:42:03,719
gate hung a sign no mice, no hedgehogs, no geese,

422
00:42:04,199 --> 00:42:11,840
no fun. Horace tutted bit Rude. Gertrude narrowed her eyes.

423
00:42:12,320 --> 00:42:17,840
We need a plan. The map sneezed. A tiny door

424
00:42:17,960 --> 00:42:24,760
appeared in the castle wall. Mabel grinned, that'll do. They

425
00:42:24,840 --> 00:42:30,679
crept inside and found themselves in the royal kitchen. It

426
00:42:30,920 --> 00:42:36,559
was enormous. Copper pans hung from the ceiling shelves groaned

427
00:42:36,599 --> 00:42:43,159
with pies, cakes, tarts, and one suspiciously nervous jelly. At

428
00:42:43,159 --> 00:42:48,039
the center of the kitchen, three weasel cooks argued over soup.

429
00:42:48,960 --> 00:42:54,639
It needs more pepper, said one. It needs more carrots,

430
00:42:54,679 --> 00:43:01,599
said another. It needs less personality, said the third. Gertrude whispered,

431
00:43:02,119 --> 00:43:08,199
follow me. They tiptoed behind flower sex under tables and

432
00:43:08,320 --> 00:43:13,159
passed a sleeping catfish in a bowl. Then the map sneezed.

433
00:43:14,480 --> 00:43:21,840
Not a small sneeze, not a polite sneeze, a thunderous, catastrophic,

434
00:43:22,280 --> 00:43:30,440
castle rattling sneeze. Flower exploded everywhere. The weasel cooks shrieked,

435
00:43:31,559 --> 00:43:38,960
the nervous jelly fainted, Mabel, Gertrude, and Horace froze completely

436
00:43:39,079 --> 00:43:46,719
white with flower. One cook pointed ghosts. Horace, thinking quickly

437
00:43:47,239 --> 00:43:53,079
raised his spoon. Oooh, he said, we are the spirits

438
00:43:53,159 --> 00:44:00,519
of badly seasoned soup. The cooks screamed and ran. Trude

439
00:44:00,559 --> 00:44:07,599
stared at him. Horace beamed heroic nonsense. They hurried from

440
00:44:07,679 --> 00:44:12,559
the kitchen and up a spiral staircase. At the top

441
00:44:12,800 --> 00:44:16,159
was a corridor lined with portraits of the weasel king

442
00:44:16,760 --> 00:44:21,440
looking important in different hats in each painting. He stood

443
00:44:21,440 --> 00:44:25,159
on a box to seem taller. At the end of

444
00:44:25,199 --> 00:44:30,840
the corridor was a golden door. Behind it, they heard

445
00:44:30,960 --> 00:44:39,519
a tiny silver sound ding. Mabel's heart lifted the bell.

446
00:44:40,320 --> 00:44:44,880
She whispered. But between them and the door stood two guards.

447
00:44:46,039 --> 00:44:50,199
They were tall, thin weasels with helmets too large for

448
00:44:50,239 --> 00:44:57,000
their heads. Halt, said the first, password, said the second.

449
00:44:58,159 --> 00:45:04,719
Mabel looked at Gertrude. Gertrude looked at Horace. Horace looked

450
00:45:04,719 --> 00:45:11,920
at the map. The map sniffed thoughtfully, then sneezed. A

451
00:45:11,960 --> 00:45:19,559
word appeared on the parchment banana. Mabel frowned, really. The

452
00:45:19,639 --> 00:45:27,119
map shrugged its corners. Mabel faced the guards banana. The

453
00:45:27,199 --> 00:45:36,719
guards gasped, she knows it impossible. Let her pass. Rules

454
00:45:36,719 --> 00:45:42,920
are rules. They opened the door. Gertrude whispered, that was

455
00:45:42,960 --> 00:45:49,519
the password. The map whispered back, weasels are not complicated.

456
00:45:50,280 --> 00:45:55,239
Inside was the throne room. It was grand and gloomy,

457
00:45:55,719 --> 00:45:59,719
full of velvet curtains and golden chairs that nobody was

458
00:45:59,719 --> 00:46:04,280
allowed to sit on. And there, hanging in a glass

459
00:46:04,360 --> 00:46:08,480
cage above the throne was the bell of small but

460
00:46:08,679 --> 00:46:13,320
important things. It was no bigger than an acorn cup

461
00:46:14,000 --> 00:46:18,079
silver as moonlight, with a handle shaped like a mouse tail.

462
00:46:19,239 --> 00:46:24,119
On the throne sat the weasel King. He wore a crown,

463
00:46:24,679 --> 00:46:29,360
a cape, and boots with heels. He was practicing a

464
00:46:29,400 --> 00:46:34,880
speech in a mirror. I am mighty, I am magnificent.

465
00:46:35,639 --> 00:46:43,360
I am. He spotted them being burgled. Mabel stepped forward.

466
00:46:44,440 --> 00:46:49,599
We've come for the bell. The weasel King laughed. It

467
00:46:49,760 --> 00:46:55,320
was a sharp, unpleasant laugh, like a fork dropped downstairs.

468
00:46:56,119 --> 00:47:02,960
You a mouse. You are tiny, yes, said Mabel. You

469
00:47:03,400 --> 00:47:11,719
are quiet. Sometimes you are unimportant. Mabel felt the words

470
00:47:11,800 --> 00:47:15,840
pinch her heart. Then she remembered the frog in the

471
00:47:15,880 --> 00:47:22,079
pudding marsh. She remembered Horace under the hat. She remembered

472
00:47:22,079 --> 00:47:27,199
Gertrude accepting a button as a ticket. She remembered that

473
00:47:27,360 --> 00:47:33,360
even small paws could climb a long way. No, said Mabel,

474
00:47:33,719 --> 00:47:38,559
I'm small. That isn't the same thing. The bell trembled

475
00:47:38,599 --> 00:47:46,000
in its cage, ding. The weasel King's eyes widened. Stop that,

476
00:47:47,440 --> 00:47:53,039
Mabel took another step. Small things matter. A seed becomes

477
00:47:53,039 --> 00:47:56,920
a tree, a spark becomes a fire. A mouse can

478
00:47:56,960 --> 00:48:02,599
find a door no giant could enter. Ding Horace lifted

479
00:48:02,599 --> 00:48:08,440
his spoon a biscuit crumb can save a hungry hedgehog. Ding.

480
00:48:09,679 --> 00:48:14,320
Gertrude raised her walking stick. Her button can buy an

481
00:48:14,360 --> 00:48:21,880
adventure ding. The bell rang louder and louder until the

482
00:48:21,960 --> 00:48:27,079
glass cage cracked. The weasel King clapped his paws over

483
00:48:27,159 --> 00:48:34,079
his ears. Stop being inspiring at once. Mabel climbed the throne,

484
00:48:34,599 --> 00:48:38,679
leapt onto the arm, scrambled up the curtain, and swung

485
00:48:38,760 --> 00:48:43,039
from the cord above the bell. The map sneezed one

486
00:48:43,320 --> 00:48:48,400
final mighty sneeze. The glass cage burst open in a

487
00:48:48,480 --> 00:48:54,599
shower of harmless glitter. Mabel caught the bell. The moment

488
00:48:54,719 --> 00:48:59,880
her paws touched it, the whole castle changed. The dark

489
00:49:00,119 --> 00:49:06,559
walls turned warm gold. The pointy towers softened into round ones.

490
00:49:07,760 --> 00:49:14,679
The horrible sign outside rewrote itself Mice, hedgehogs, geese and

491
00:49:14,920 --> 00:49:21,159
fun welcome. The weasel King shrank, not in size exactly,

492
00:49:21,679 --> 00:49:27,320
but in importance. His crown slipped over his eyes. But

493
00:49:27,400 --> 00:49:32,760
I'm the king, he squeaked. Gertrude tapped her walking stick.

494
00:49:33,679 --> 00:49:38,440
Then try being a better one. Horace offered him a biscuit.

495
00:49:39,559 --> 00:49:43,760
The weasel King stared at it. No one had ever

496
00:49:43,880 --> 00:49:48,519
offered him a biscuit before he took it. It is

497
00:49:48,599 --> 00:49:52,599
difficult to remain entirely wicked while eating a nice biscuit.

498
00:49:53,719 --> 00:49:57,119
By morning, the bell was returned to the center of

499
00:49:57,159 --> 00:50:00,280
the kingdom, hung from a little wooden arch in a

500
00:50:00,320 --> 00:50:10,079
meadow where everyone could reach it. Creatures came from everywhere, beetles, frogs, squirrels, moths, rabbits,

501
00:50:10,400 --> 00:50:13,800
and a snail who arrived three days early by mistake.

502
00:50:15,000 --> 00:50:19,159
The bell rang for all sorts of things, for the

503
00:50:19,239 --> 00:50:23,239
ant who carried a crumb twice her size, For the

504
00:50:23,280 --> 00:50:27,480
mole who admitted he was lost, for the spider who

505
00:50:27,559 --> 00:50:33,440
knitted socks for cold worms, for Horace, who successfully folded

506
00:50:33,440 --> 00:50:38,760
his sock tent, For Gertrude, who smiled twice before lunch.

507
00:50:39,920 --> 00:50:43,280
And for Mabel Mouse, who had gone into an attic

508
00:50:43,800 --> 00:50:47,519
and found not just a map but her own courage.

509
00:50:48,800 --> 00:50:54,440
At last, the map began to glow. Time to go home,

510
00:50:54,840 --> 00:51:00,920
it said. Mabel felt a little sad. I ever come back,

511
00:51:02,039 --> 00:51:07,800
The map sniffed, probably when you least expect it. Gertrude

512
00:51:07,840 --> 00:51:12,960
gave Mabel a small salute with her walking stick. Horace

513
00:51:13,079 --> 00:51:18,199
hugged her very carefully because of the prickles. Take a

514
00:51:18,280 --> 00:51:23,840
biscuit for the journey, he said. Mabel took one. The

515
00:51:23,960 --> 00:51:33,360
map sneezed a t shoe. The world spun, the meadow vanished,

516
00:51:34,559 --> 00:51:40,199
the castle disappeared, the lemon yellow sky folded itself away

517
00:51:40,760 --> 00:51:45,559
like a blanket. Mabel landed in the attic of number

518
00:51:45,599 --> 00:51:50,920
seven Crumblewick Lane, right inside the box of old scarves.

519
00:51:51,599 --> 00:51:57,519
Rain tapped the roof. The cat snored below. The trunk

520
00:51:57,639 --> 00:52:01,880
sat quietly in the corner. The map lay in front

521
00:52:01,880 --> 00:52:06,320
of her, rolled up and tied with blue ribbon. For

522
00:52:06,400 --> 00:52:10,280
a moment, Mabel wondered if she had dreamed it all.

523
00:52:11,360 --> 00:52:16,559
Then something silver jingled in her pocket. She reached in

524
00:52:17,039 --> 00:52:20,519
and pulled out a tiny bell, no bigger than an

525
00:52:20,559 --> 00:52:29,679
acorn cup. It rang once ding. Aunt Agatha called from below, Mabel,

526
00:52:30,119 --> 00:52:34,400
are you in the attic? Mabel tucked the bell safely

527
00:52:34,519 --> 00:52:40,760
under her arm. Yes, aunt Agatha. You know curiosity gets

528
00:52:40,880 --> 00:52:48,239
mice trapped in teapots. Mabel smiled, maybe, she said, but

529
00:52:48,920 --> 00:52:53,840
sometimes it gets them home again with a story. And

530
00:52:54,039 --> 00:52:57,599
from inside the rolled up map came a very small,

531
00:52:58,360 --> 00:53:05,800
very suspicious sound. Ah. Mabel grinned, don't you dare.

532
00:54:01,239 --> 00:55:13,320
Speaker 1: B bu bu bu?

533
00:57:07,800 --> 00:57:08,559
Speaker 2: It's u