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The Hiccup Mouse |
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Once there was a little mouse named Lucy. She lived in the meadow
with her mother and father, and her little brother Harvey. She and
Harvey got along very well. They played in the fields, went swimming
in the summer, climbed trees, and even had tea parties together. |
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Lucy thought that Harvey was just about the most perfect brother she
could have, except for one thing…her had a way of sneaking up on her
when she just wasn't expecting it. Why only this morning he had
startled her so badly that she had spilled her juice all over the
table. Mother had been upset and so had she. In fact, she had been
so upset it had given her hiccups and now she couldn't get rid of
them!
She had tried drinking water, and holding her breath but the Hiccups
just wouldn't go away. No matter how hard she tried to get rid of
them every few seconds a giant
HIC-CUP
would burst out of her little self. Maybe my friends will know what
to do, she thought.
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First she went to Skunk's house. "Hello
-HIC-
Skunk" she said. "Hello. How are you today?" Skunk replied. "I'm
-HIC-
fine" said Lucy "but
-HIC-
I have
-HIC-
the hiccups
-HIC-
and I can't get
-HIC-
rid of them!" " I noticed" said Skunk "Perhaps if you stand on your
head the Hiccups will fall out" she suggested. "That's what I always
do and it works great for me. Toodle Loo!" and she dashed off
without another word.
So Lucy stood on her head and waited for a very long time. It was
very difficult because with every Hiccup she would lose her balance
and have to start all over again. While she was doing this Frog
hopped up. |
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"What are you doing Lucy?" he asked. Lucy started to tell him but
suddenly a really huge Hiccup came out, and Frog said "Oh my, it
seems standing on your head has given you the Hiccups. You should
try hopping on one foot while patting your tummy" he offered
helpfully. "Thank
-HIC-
you" she said, but when she looked up Frog had already hopped off
towards the pond. |
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Hopping on one foot and patting her tummy sounded silly to Lucy but
the Hiccups were getting worse and she was willing to try anything
if it would make them go away. But no matter how hard she hopped and
patted, the Hiccups wouldn't go away.
"Oh no!" she said as she began to walk home. "Perhaps I will have
Hiccups for the rest of my life. I will be known as the Hiccup
Mouse. Maybe I will never be able to go into the library again, the
Librarian will surely tell me I am too noisy to be there! And I can
forget about ever playing Hide-n-Seek, because everyone will find me!"
By now, she was so busy feeling miserable that she hardly noticed
where she was going. |
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Just then Harvey jumped out of the berry bushes beside the path
holding a large, juicy berry. "Lucy look what I found!" he exclaimed.
But Lucy was tired of being surprised by her little brother and
she'd had enough. "Harvey,
how many times have I told you not to…"
she started to say. Then she stopped and a huge smile spread across
her face. |
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She realized that her Hiccups were gone! Harvey had surprised her so
much that the Hiccups had disappeared. "Oh, Harvey" she said and
then she threw her arms around him and gave him a gigantic hug. "Thank
you! You cured me of those horrible Hiccups!" she cried. Then she
and Harvey went off to share that delicious berry.
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THE END |
