Hello and welcome to Super Great Kids Stories.
Wise tales from storytellers around the world which will make you laugh and sometimes cry.
Recommended for ages 5 to 105.
I'm Kim and I love stories.
Today we have a fairy tale called La Mouse Princess, which comes from Finland, in Northern Europe, and it's told by storyteller Tijernan Dujeb.
Hello Super Great Kids.
Happy December and how are you?
I hope you've had a good week.
I've got three reasons to be cheerful.
First, I've been writing Christmas cards to friends all over the world.
I wonder if you have any friends who come from another country.
And second, this saturday we have an online show with stories all about midwinter magic, with guest storyteller the wonderful sheila arnold from the us, who told us the very popular story the weeping willow.
So i hope to see you this saturday at six o'clock pm, british time.
That's greenwich meantime or if you're busy, you can download it and watch later.
And my third reason to be cheerful is that this week Tien and Duyeb, who told us the ghost of the bloody finger, is back with a beautiful story from snowy Finland, which is a country in northern Europe.
It's so far north that the winters are very long and very dark.
Some days in winter it hardly gets light at all.
On the plus side, green flashes of light which dance all over the night sky, known as the northern lights, can regularly be seen in Lapland, which is part of Finland, and they have reindeer bears, wolves and wonderful fairy tales.
Now, just before we say hello to Tienan, I wonder how many countries you can name.
There are 195 in total, but if you can think of between 5 and 10 well, that's a very good start.
So, while we have a quick word with the grown-ups, see how many countries you can think of.
Maybe begin with your own country.
Are you ready?
Off you go!
Hello!
Did you know?
The Super Great Kids Stories book is available in bookshops and online around the world.
Our stories are designed to inspire families to leave their screens, learn about the world together and be entertained and awed.
We're delighted that our first book of 30 of our best stories has been published by Bloomsbury.
It's beautifully illustrated by artists from across the globe.
The characters you'll meet include a Nancy eating hot pepper soup, Baba Yaga, the bony Russian witch, Molly and the leprechaun and, of course, the ghost of the bloody finger.
Our book will make a memorable Christmas or birthday gift for you to read and enjoy as a family.
Available worldwide, online and in bookshops.
Go to our website, supergreatkidstories.com for details.
Snip, snap, snout.
Our super great book is out.
Hello, super great kids.
I'm back.
How many countries did you think of?
There's a few examples where we've had stories recently.
Finland, the US Spain Canada Russia Germany Cuba Australia Greece, New Zealand, South Africa and Japan.
I wonder which countries you thought of.
And now it's time to welcome this week's storyteller.
So let's give a very warm welcome to Tiernan Duyeb.
Hello, super great kids.
It's me, Tiernan.
You might remember me from telling the story The Ghost of the Bloody Finger or The Spooky Tale of Cold Johnny.
But today I've got a really lovely story about mice.
Do you like mice?
Some people get very scared of mice, even though they're very, very small.
Some people I know don't like that mice somehow sneak into their cupboards at night and nibble at their breakfast cereal.
But me, I've always liked mice.
I think it's amazing how they can squeeze into the tiniest spaces and how they're so teeny, tiny and furry, with big ears and cute squeaks.
In fact, I think they're very mice indeed.
This is a story from Finland, a country where it can get very, very cold and very, very dark in the winter.
But Finland is also a magical place and is even said to be the home of a certain bearded jolly fellow who's very important to Christmas.
I'm sure you've heard about him before.
But the magical Finnish fairy story I'm going to tell you is a tale about a very special mouse.
And if you don't like mice or somehow find them scary, then after hearing this, I think you might just change your mind.
Once upon a time, a very long time ago, before you or yes, even me were born, there lived a farmer who had three sons.
When they were all grown up, the farmer decided it was time for his boys to have lives of their own.
My sons, it's about time you were all married.
Tomorrow I want you each to go out and search for a bride.
The sons were a bit confused by this because, well, it was a bit of a confusing thing to say.
We just have to go out and find a bride, said the oldest one.
Where do we go to do that, said the middle one.
I think I saw a bride at the park once, said the youngest one, but he wasn't sure.
Don't worry, I've already thought of that, said their father.
What you have to do is each chop down a tree and then, whatever way it falls down, that is the direction you must travel to find your bride.
The next day, they did exactly that.
The oldest son used a big axe and chopped down a tree.
Chop, chop, chop and timber!
It fell, pointing north.
Oh, that works for me, said the oldest son.
I know a farm in the north where a very pretty girl lives.
Next, the middle son used a big axe and chopped down a tree.
Chop, chop, chop!
And timber!
Thud!
His tree fell, pointing south.
South is great for me, said the middle son.
He had danced many times with a girl he knew who lived on a farm to the south.
Then the youngest son had a go.
His name was Vaco.
He took another big axe and chop, chop, chop and timber!
The tree fell and pointed straight at the forest.
Oh, said Vaco, not sure what to do about that at all, as no one lived in the forest except the animals, birds and insects.
His brothers fell about laughing.
Vaco will have to marry a wolf or a bear or a fox.
But Vaco thought about it and said he didn't care.
He was going to take his chances and go where the tree pointed.
The oldest brother happily went off to the north and the middle brother happily went off to the south to find the women they admired and hoped would be their brides.
Vaco confidently set off into the forest.
But after a little while, he wasn't so sure it had been a good idea to follow the tree after all.
How can I find a bride in a place where there are no humans at all? he said to himself.
Just as he thought about giving up, there was a little hut right there in the forest.
It was very pretty, with a little thatched roof and a bright blue door that seemed to be open.
Vako pushed it and went in.
That's strange, he thought.
There's no one here.
It wasn't empty, you understand, because on the table was a tiny mouse daintily combing her whiskers.
But as you or I know, a mouse doesn't really count.
I'd better be on my way then, said Vaco.
And as he turned to leave, the little mouse said, Why, Vaco, I'm here.
Vaco was surprised.
But you're only a mouse, he said.
The mouse was a bit miffed about this.
Mice count too, you know.
But go on then, tell me what you were hoping for.
So Vaco told her about how he was looking for a bride, about how his brothers had headed to the north and the south, but his tree directed him here.
How can I find a bride in this forest? said Vaco.
I'll look so silly if I have to return home and tell my father that I've failed.
Well, said the little mouse, why don't you take me to be your sweetheart?
Vaco was shocked at first, and then he burst out laughing.
Ha!
But you're only a mouse.
Whoever heard of a man getting married to a mouse?
The mouse shook her head.
Take my word for it, Vaco, she said.
You could do much worse than me for a bride.
Even if I am only a mouse, I will love you and be true to you always.
She was a very cute tiny mouse and she sat up and looked at Vaco with her paws under her chin and her bright eyes sparkling.
And then she sang Vaco a little song.
I'm a little mouse in my little house and I will love you very, very, very much.
Just be nice to me, please, and feed me lots of cheese and I will love you very, very much.
Vaco thought it was a very pretty little song and it really cheered him up.
In fact, he realised this little mouse was very sweet and he decided very well, little mouse, I'll take you for my sweetheart.
She squeaked in delight.
Eee! and promised she would wait for him no matter how long he took.
Back at home, Vaco's older brothers were boasting about their brides-to-be.
Mine, said the oldest, has the rosiest red cheeks you've ever seen.
Well, mine, said the middle brother, has beautiful long blonde hair.
But when it was Vaco's turn, he said nothing at all.
Vaco's older brother had to ask.
What's the matter?
Does your sweetheart from the forest have pretty pointed ears or pretty sharp teeth?
Because, you see, they still thought it was funny to joke that Vaco might only find foxes or wolves in the forest.
But Vaco wasn't worried.
You don't need to laugh, he said.
I found a sweetheart who's a dainty little thing, all dressed in velvet.
Well, this surprised his brothers.
The middle brother frowned.
Dressed in velvet, he exclaimed.
Like a princess, said the older brother, with surprise and a big frown too.
Yes, said Vaco smugly, all dressed in velvet like a princess, and when she sits up and sings to me, it cheers me right up.
Huh, said his brothers, who were a bit fed up that he'd ruined their very funny joke and actually found a sweetheart, and a very grand-sounding sweetheart at that.
The farmer was very impressed with all his sons.
After a few days he announced that he'd made another decision.
Now I would like to know what those sweethearts of yours are able to do.
Have them each bake me a loaf of bread, so I know that they'll be able to look after you and feed you well.
I know mine will be able to bake bread, said the oldest brother boastfully.
And mine too, said the middle brother confidently.
Vaco stayed silent again.
What about your princess, said the brothers.
Do you think your precious princess can bake bread?
And they laughed and laughed.
Er, I don't know, said Vaco truthfully.
I'll have to ask her.
He wasn't sure at all that a little mouse would know how to bake bread.
He returned to the hut in the forest feeling a bit concerned that maybe having a mouse for a sweetheart was a very silly idea after all.
But as he pushed open the door, the little mouse saw Vaco and danced about with delight.
You came back.
I'm so glad to see you, she squeaked.
I knew you'd return.
But then she noticed he was silent.
What's the matter, Vaco?
He explained to her that his father wanted all the brothers' sweethearts to bake a loaf.
But he wasn't sure how she, a little mouse, would do it.
She shook her head.
I can make bread.
Of course I can, the little mouse said.
You won't go home without a loaf.
Vaco was very surprised.
''I've never heard of a mouse that could bake bread,'' he said.
''Well, I can,'' insisted the mouse.
And with that she began ringing a small silver bell and suddenly there was the sound of lots and lots of tiny scurrying footsteps, and hundreds of mice ran into the hut.
The little mouse sat up straight and told them ''Each of you must go and fetch me a grain of the finest wheat''.
So they all scampered quickly away, and then, one by one, they returned with grains of the finest wheat.
The princess mouse took no time at all to bake a beautiful loaf of the best bread you've ever seen.
The next day, the three brothers gave their father the loaves of bread their sweethearts had baked.
The farmer saw the loaf from the oldest brother's sweetheart.
Very good.
For hard-working people like us, rye bread is very good indeed.
And then he saw the loaf from the middle brother's sweetheart.
Ooh, a barley loaf.
Very nice.
But when Vaco presented the loaf of beautiful baked bread, his father cried out.
What?
White bread?
This is a beautiful loaf.
Vaco, you must have a sweetheart of wealth and riches.
Vaco's brothers sneered.
Of course your princess can make white bread.
Tell us, Vaco, how does she get this fine grain then?
So Vaco told them truthfully that she rang a little bell and all her servants fetched it for her.
The brothers nearly exploded in jealousy.
But their father calmed them down.
All of you sweethearts have made excellent loaves of bread, but I have one more test for them.
Before you bring them home, I want them to send me a sample of their weaving.
Again, the oldest and middle brother knew this would be easy for their sweethearts.
But Vaco was worried how the little mouse might manage to weave something.
Who ever heard of a mouse that could weave?
He returned to the forest hut, worried that now is when he would fail the test.
Once again, the little mouse was very excited to see him and once again, when he was silent, she asked what the matter was.
Vaco explained, and the little mouse shrugged.
Of course I can weave!
It would be a strange thing if Vaco's sweetheart couldn't weave!
She rang the little silver bell, and once again hundreds of mice scurried into the hut.
The princess mouse told them go each of you and fetch me a thread of the finest material in all the land.
So off they scampered and soon they returned one by one with the finest linen threads.
Quickly as she could, the princess mouse wove it into a beautiful soft scarf and folded it up so so small it could fit into a nutshell.
I hope your father will like it, she said.
Vaco went home and kept the nutshell in his pocket as he was worried.
It was so beautiful that once again it would shame and anger his brothers.
The oldest brother showed the farmer a shawl that his sweetheart had made.
Not very fine, said the farmer, but good enough.
The middle brother showed the farmer a shirt his sweetheart had made.
Little better, said the farmer, and then he turned to Vaco.
And you, Vaco, did your sweetheart not give you a sample of her weaving to show me?
Vaco handed his father the nutshell and his brothers burst out laughing.
But their laughter quickly stopped when the farmer opened it and saw the linen scarf.
Vaco, my boy, how ever did your sweetheart get such fine linen threads?
So Vaco told him truthfully that she rang a little silver bell and all her servants fetched them for her.
Wonderful, gasped the farmer.
All your sweethearts did well, but yours, Vako, well, she must be a princess.
Now I would like to meet your brides to me.
Bring them here tomorrow.
Again, Vako was worried that he would be laughed at when he brought the little mouse home.
But he thought, she's a good little mouse and I'm very fond of her.
Let them laugh.
I don't care and I'm not ashamed.
Back at the forest, Vaco told the mouse his father wanted to meet her, and she was very excited.
I must dress up and go in proper style, she said.
The little mouse rang her silver bell and in came five black mice drawing a carriage made from a little nutshell.
There was a coachman mouse sat on the front and a footman mouse behind.
Again.
Vaco thought his brothers would laugh, but he said nothing and proudly walked beside the coach.
He told the little mouse he would look after her whatever happened.
As Vaco and the nutshell carriage travelled to his home, they came to a river and a little bridge over it.
They began to cross when they met a man coming in the opposite direction.
He spotted the nutshell coach and all the mice and looked horrified.
What is that?
Mice?
I hate mice!
He put out his foot and shoved the little mouse, her carriage, her servants and steeds off the bridge and into the water below.
Splash!
Vaco screamed at the man, what have you done, my poor little sweetheart?
The man thought Vaco was very strange and left.
But Vaco had tears in his eyes.
You, poor little mouse.
You were my sweetheart and now you are God.
I realise just how much I loved you.
He raced down to the river below, but he couldn't see his little mouse or her carriage anywhere.
Instead, on the far bank of the river, An amazing carriage made of gold was leaving the water, drawn by five strong black horses.
The coachman wore a jacket with gold lace and a footman in a pointed cap sat at the back.
And inside the carriage was the most beautiful woman Vaco had ever seen.
Her skin was as rosy red as a berry and also as white as snow.
Her long golden hair gleamed with jewels and she was dressed head to toe in pearly velvet.
She beckoned to Vako and he walked over, completely confused by what was going on.
Come sit next to me, the woman said.
Me? said Vako, two days to think.
The woman smiled.
Yes, you.
You weren't ashamed to have me for a sweetheart when I was a mouse, she said.
And surely now that I'm a princess again, you won't leave me.
Vako couldn't believe what he was hearing.
A mouse?
You were the little mouse?
The princess nodded.
Yes, she said I was the little mouse under an evil enchantment that could only be broken by you taking me as your sweetheart and another person throwing me in the river.
Now I am free and we must go and meet your father so we can get married and go home to my kingdom.
And that's exactly what they did.
They drove in the golden carriage to the farmer's house, and when Vako's father, his brothers and his brother's sweethearts saw the princess's coach stop at their gate, They all came out bowing to see what the royalty could want from them.
But instead of royalty, they heard Vako saying, Father, don't you know me?
The farmer stopped bowing and looked up.
My goodness, it's our Vako.
Yes, said Vako, and this is the princess that I'm going to marry.
His brothers shook their heads and muttered, which my tree had pointed to the forest.
Me too.
But it wasn't because Vako's tree pointed to the forest that a princess became his sweetheart.
It was because he was such a good person that he even treated a little mouse with kindness.
The farmer gave Vako and the princess his blessing and they rode home to the princess's kingdom and were married.
And they were as happy as they should have been, for they were good and true to each other forever after.
And that is why you shouldn't shriek and be mean to mice, because you never know, that little furry creature nibbling at your cereal might actually be an enchanted princess.
Aw, thank you very much, Tianan, for sharing that cute little mousy fairy tale.
I like the way Tianan used a high-pitched, squeaky voice for the little mouse and spoke with a West Country accent for the farmer's voice.
Now we often talk about how stories travel from one country to another and change a bit in each place where they're told.
Bits of that story reminded me of other fairy tales.
Does it remind you a little bit of the Frog Prince story retold by Rosalind Buck last week, where the prince was really a frog?
In this one it was a mouse who was really a princess but a very similar idea.
And what about that carriage and horses which was pulling the princess?
Did that remind you of the story we in England call Cinderella?
If you were going to draw a picture of that story that Tianan just told, what would you draw?
Would you draw the little mouse ringing her silver bell?
Or would you draw a nutshell carriage being pulled by five black mice, with a driver and a footman at the back.
Do send us a picture if you like drawing.
Send it to StoryOwl at supergreatkidsstoriescom or to our Facebook page at facebookcom.
Forward slash supergreatkidsstories and we'll post it for everyone to enjoy.
And now it's time to fly around the world with StoryOwl to say hello and thank you to all the owlets who recently joined our storytelling club.
We begin here in the UK in West Yorkshire where Leif lives in Huddersfield.
He'll be five just before Christmas.
Leif's favourite story is The Ghost of the Bloody Finger.
And let's fly west now, all the way across the Atlantic and on to Austin Texas, to greet Emmy, who listens before bed even to the scary stories.
She became an owlet and received the Super Great Kids Stories book for her birthday in November.
And hello as well to Emmy's little brother, Theo.
And now on to Whittier in California, where Ayla, who's seven, is also a fan of the scary stories.
Her favourites are La Llorona and The Golden Arm.
Coo!
That's very brave of you to listen to them, Ayla.
They are two of the scariest stories on the podcast.
Ayla's five-year-old sister Aria, especially likes the weeping willow and the wide-mouthed frog and the grumpy gecko.
Good choices, Aria.
Staying in California, let's say hello to Ria, who is seven, and Rohan, who is five.
They live in Fremont in the San Francisco Bay Area.
They've been listening for two years and their favourite is a Nancy and the Hot Pepper Soup.
Flying east now to the other side of the US, let's greet Isla, who is five and lives in Miami.
She doesn't go anywhere in the car without asking to hear a story.
Her favourite is Molly and the Skeleton, told by Nick Hennessy.
Good choice, Isla.
Back across the ocean to Suffolk now in eastern England to say hello to five-year-old Wren and Jake, who's three, and their newly arrived baby brother Jesse.
They listen to their favourites over and over again, including The Boy and the Snow Wolf, East of the Sun and West of the Moon, and Strawberries in Winter.
Lovely stories there.
Off now to Canada and to Summerland in British Columbia to greet Wyatt, who's five and listens to stories every morning at breakfast before he goes to kindergarten.
Wyatt loves Bonita the Tricky Sheep and likes to join in with the song.
So do I, Wyatt.
And heading south to the US state of Colorado, where Esme lives in Wheat Ridge.
Her grandmother Denny gave her an Owlet subscription for her birthday.
Hurrah for grandmothers.
Esme's favourites are the Baba Yaga stories and the Ghost of the Bloody Finger.
More welcomes to Owlets next week.
And thanks to everyone who's hopped into our nest and is supporting us on Apple or Patreon.
We depend on your generosity and support to keep making this podcast.
It helps us to pay our storytellers and it gives you access to lots of extras, like all the super great scary stories and, depending on your level of subscription, to loads of bonus stories and to 150 stories in our new archive.
Plus, you'll get access to our super great kids stories express, which cuts straight to the story.
Great for listening back to back.
Visit our website for more details at supergreatkidsstoriescom.
And our pick of the week picture comes from six-year-old olivia from seattle, washington in the us.
Olivia has drawn a picture of baba yaga and masha the clever.
Your illustration of baba yaga is one of the scariest we've seen.
It's so imaginative, with Baba Yaga chasing Masha and sniffing the air with her long green nose, her wild straggly hair, yellow teeth and long dirty nails curled like bird's claws.
Thank you very much for sharing that drawing with us.
You can see the picture on our Facebook page or on our new picture gallery on our website, supergreatkidsstoriescom.
And if you grown-ups, are looking for present inspiration, we have t-shirts of Baba Yaga and the Ghost of the Bloody Finger and Story Owl, all available on our website through Shopify.
And, of course, there's always our very first super great book filled with 30 of your favourite stories.
That's it for now.
Remember, our online show with Jason Buck, Amy Douglas and Sheila Arnold is coming up this Saturday, December the 13th.
Hope to see you there.
Keep telling those stories and singing your songs.
Have a happy week.
This podcast was produced by Kim Normanton and David Smith at Wardour Studios in fabulous Fitzrovia in London.
