The Mouse Who Wanted To Be A Beautiful Girl

Once, a small lady mouse lived under a wise man's house. At first, she was just a nuisance to everyone. She chewed wood and ate any food that the wise man and his family left _in the house at night. But she was not happy.

One evening, she came out of her hiding place and sat in front of the wise man. "Can you change me into a beautiful girl?" she asked. "I'm tired of being a mouse."

"Are you sure that's what you want?"

"Yes, I'm quite sure. I've seen how you human beings enjoy yourselves. I'd like to be a beautiful girl and marry a rich hus­band."

"Very well," said the wise man, "I'll change you into a beau­tiful girl." Then something very strange happened. The mouse started changing into a beautiful woman dressed in a lovely sarong kebaya. There was a delicious perfume in the room.

Next day, when the girl was on her way to the market, the sun was shining brightly. Many people wished her good morn­ing and some young wren turned round to look at her. Sud­denly, a dark cloud covered the sun. The girl felt cold.

"Oh, I would like to be a cloud," the girl said to herself. "It's stronger than the sun. If I turn into a cloud, there'll be no need for me to many a rich husband."

The wise man heard what the girl said.

"If it will make you happy," he said, "I can change you into a cloud." The girl felt herself floating up into the sky. She was as light as a cloud. But soon she was tossed this way and that by the wind. She saw the wind fill the sails of boats on the sea far below her and carry them along until they were out of sight. She then cried out that she wanted to be changed into a strong wind.

The wise man appeared again. "All right. I'll change you into a strong wind. But why are you never satisfied?"

But before he could hear what the girl said — "Whoosh!"—he was almost blown over by a strong wind. The wind rushed past and threw itself against a tall mountain. "Stop! Stop!" the girl called out. She had been changed into a wind. "I'll be hurt if I'm thrown against the mountain."

The wind tried to climb over the top of the mountain but it was not able to do so. The mountain was so hard and slippery.

"Why did you think you were stronger than IT' the moun­tain  shouted at the wind. "I'll teach you a good lesson."

. The wind dropped from the top of the mountain to the bot­tom. "Oh, I think I'm going to be sick," the girl sobbed.

"Why, you're not even as strong as a mouse! Even a mouse can make a hole and live inside me!" the mountain said.

"0 wise man," the girl called out, "please, won't you help me?"

"Well now," said the wise man, who was never far away, "that depends. Will you promise never to be dissatisfied again with what you are?"

"Yes, yes," the girl said.

"And if I change you back into a mouse again you'll never want to be anything else?"

"I promise, I promise," said the girl.

So the wise man changed her into a mouse again and she went back to live under his house.

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