Wriggle and Squirm Go To School...To hear the sound click the green arrow on the control below...

Todays' Tale is called Wriggle and Squirm. If you would like to download this story to keep as an e-book with pages which turn, just like a real book, then please follow this link. Wriggle and Squirm. Please note: To access the menu and operate pages just right click on any page, and select from the pop-up menu. Sound needs to be downloaded separately.

Wriggle and Squirm are two small mice who live with their auntie in an old disused drainpipe. Their mum and dad were killed four years ago, when the farmer ran his tractor over the plank of wood under which they were hiding , during one of their hunts for food to feed Wriggle and Squirm for tea.Four years living with Auntie seemed like a lifetime to the two little mice, but it was, in fact, just enough time for them both to be the right age to start school.Auntie called, " Come on both of you, breakfast is ready. Hurry now, don't forget , it's school this morning". First Wriggle threw back the bed clothes, then Squirm rolled onto the floor , his legs caught in the blankets. They were really looking forward to their first day at school. " It's going to be such fun" , said Squirm, as they dressed. " Oh yes, " replied Wriggle, " We can play with crayons and paint all day long if we want to. I'm going to see if the school teacher would like me to decorate the classroom. Auntie said it hasn't been changed since she was a girl." Armed with a lunch box, which Auntie gave each of them as they left the house, and a piece of cheese , neatly wrapped , a present for their new teacher, the two mice ran down the side of the road to school. They always kept to the side of the road in case any farm traffic came along, because, after all, it is very dangerous for a mouse in the middle of a road, especially a young mouse. Wriggle and Squirm had been taught the Rodents' Road Code at a very early age, and they were bright little fellows who always looked both ways when crossing too.

Anyway, Wriggles was the first to arrive at school, and he didn't even bother to wait for his brother. He ran straight into the classroom, (there was only one classroom you see), where he looked around , then seeing an empty seat, he sat in it. "That's my seat", a voice from behind him said. Wriggles looked up to see that it was a very slimy toad who had spoken to him." Would you like to borrow my hanky ", asked Wriggles politely, because the toad did seem to have an awfully runny nose. His eyes looked very runny too, thought Wriggles. Squirm came up to them both to find out what was happening, but when he heard that Wriggles had sat in the wrong seat, he said they were new and very sorry but did not really know what to do. Just then their teacher called to the class, " Sit down everyone, If you don't have a seat already find an empty one.Soon the class were settled, the daily register was taken, and Miss Truffles, (That was the teachers' name), set the work to be done. " As it is the first day for most of you", she said, "We will start with learning to use paints correctly. In two's go to the paint cupboard . You may take two pots , each of a different colour, and return to your desks with them". Wriggle took a yellow and a red pot of paint, whilst Squirm decided on a Blue and a Pink pot. Slimy toad, whose real name was Toby, handed out the large sheets of paper which Miss Truffles had given to him. Brushes were placed on each table and work began. Miss Truffles wanted to see a picture of ,"Your favourite Place."

Everyone in the class settled to their work, with a low murmur of voices, but not too much noise. Since the class were so good and quiet, Miss Truffles decided to sort the store cupboard while they worked. Sadly, she didn't notice Wriggle pick up his chair to place it beside the empty wall where Miss Truffles usually put the finished work on display. Wriggle busily mixed his colours, working hard to complete his chosen task. Noone seemed to notice him at work. Well, not for ages, until it was too late! He painted a lovely bright red strip round the edge of the classroom wall , then inside he made glorious swirls of yellow. Pressing his hands into the red paint pot, he placed red hand prints amongst the yellow swirls. Standing back to survey his work Wriggle was most pleased. " Oooo that does look nice and bright", he said, " I expect Auntie will be happy when she hears how beautiful I have made the schoolroom". Miss Truffles , looking out of the store cupboard to check on her class, was amazed to see a completely new wall! With shock written all over her face, she rushed over to grab Wriggle by the collar. "What on earth do you think you are doing, Wriggle, " she demanded shaking the little fellow mercilessly.Wriggle dropped his brush onto her shoe causing red pain to splatter all over it. " I'm making the classroom beautiful Miss," said Wriggle proudly. "Auntie said it's never had a coat of paint since she was young".

All the animals giggled at this, but Miss Truffles was not amused. Indeed she was so cross that she made poor Wriggle stay after school to wash all the paint off the wall. Naturally, Squirm stayed behind to help, because he didn't want to go home alone, and when the wall was clean again, Miss Truffles told Wriggle that this must be a lesson to him, never to do anything without being asked first. Especially in school. When Auntie heard all about it she tried hard to hide her laughter as she sent the naughty mouse to bed early for punishment. She did give him a big hug, though, because she loved him so much. I expect Wriggle and Squirm will have a much better day in school tomorrow , don't you?

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