The Hiccup Mouse

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.

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.

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.

"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.

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.

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.

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.