Fairy Tale Spotlight: A Mouse Raised by Cheetahs

The Grasslands were rough. Like, I couldn't get anything done at any time... ever. I'm not joking. Do you know what it's like for a mouse in the African Grasslands? You don't. You probably wouldn't have any fun either. Everybody thinks they’re tough. Everybody thinks they can handle anything. Well, no. Nope. You aren't born and bred for the Grasslands like me. Not even other mice. Just me. Not you. Not them. Just me.

My name is Spiny. It's a name that sticks right in your skin. I'm small, but I bite. I bite because I want to. But there are these really big cats that live near me called cheetahs. They are really fast and have all these spots. They think they’re so tough. They think their whole 70 mile per hour thing is so hot. (Well, it is a little hot. I mean, that is kind of fast.) But they shouldn't let it go to their heads.

What is a mouse to that kind of speed? I can barely go 3 miles per hour. I might hit 4 right before I pass out. I figured this was a good time to start making alliances. Early on in my childhood, I covered myself in spots and approached these big cats boldly and without any protection whatsoever! (Although I did sort of wait till after they ate that gazelle.)

I looked up and I said to them, "Hey, kittens! I'm the world's smallest cheetah! I got no one in my life to tell me how to be one, so you guys are gonna have to teach me!" Yeah, they just sort of looked at me funny. It's one of those looks that's supposed to unnerve you so they realize that you're just a joke. I'm not a joke though! I'm the real thing! So, I toughened myself up and yelled, "Which one of you is gonna be my teacher?!"

Well, I got my response. They all sort of volunteered. It was sort of a group "Yes." The only disconcerting thing was that... I think they knew I was a mouse. I mean, they never told me directly, but I could hear a little sarcasm in their voices. It was the way they said "little cheetah." Oh, ho, I know what's going on there! You think this is really funny! I must be some kind of joke to you jerks! I knew I had to stay tough and learn the ways of the cheetah.

The hardest part about it was learning how to run really fast. They showed me their technique. The problem was that whenever they took off running, I had nothing to see. They were just... gone. I couldn't watch what they were actually doing. Oh, I complained about this a lot. I accused them of all sorts of cheating. I even suggested that cheating must be where they got their names. Well, they didn't want to be accused of that, so they helped me out.

One cheetah would let me ride on his back, while another ran aside of him. That way I could watch and learn how to run really fast. And it worked! After tons of practice, I just barely broke 5 miles an hour. I also passed out and may have gotten sun stroke. The whole world was spinning. I think I threw up a little. But, gaaawwd, I felt so alive. Almost dead, but seriously alive.

But after a few weeks I was able to get that 5MPH a lot better, and today I am leveled off at a solid 8. I don't think I can do much more than that. The only thing left that I needed to deal with was food. A lot of the cheetahs were talking about how I'd never be able to take down a gazelle. I gave them a lot of hell about that. I mean have you ever heard of any tiny gazelles out there? I did ask one of the other mice if I could paint a black stripe on their belly and then chase them around. He isn't my friend anymore.

One of the cheetahs, however, told me I could ride on him during the chase, and I could leap off and bite into my prey at the last second. Good lord, that sounded so action packed! How could I resist?! When the time came, I was so ready. The chase was on! I was so ready to stick my teeth into that gazelle meat! I saw the moment coming. I braced for the moment... and then jumped! I probably flew forty... probably sixty feet away. I don't even know where I was. One of the cheetahs came over and checked on me. I played it off real cool. "I just wanted to see how far I could jump, is all." I think he may have bought it.

So, dinner was served. I tried my best to bite into that gazelle. I was able to get into a little bit, but it was just maybe too much all at one time. I still pretended to do it though, and we all had a laugh and enjoyed each other's company. Later that night, I went to dig up some bugs in secret. Maybe someday I can eat gazelle, but I guess a mouse just has to do what he has to, to survive.

My name is Spiny. I'm a really tough mouse, living in the African Grasslands. I was raised by cheetahs and they have accepted me as their own. I'm gonna be real big someday, but today, I'm still pretty small. But I'm super sure anyone can be anything they want to be if they just believe in themselves a little. But as to being a cheetah, I wouldn't recommend it. That's something only a mouse like me can do. If you try it, you might end up being the next gazelle. Leave this stuff to the professionals.

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This blog was written on November 12, 2022.

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