Storytellers Christmas: Chris Mouse

Papa Joe Gaudet was one of my mentors when I began storytelling. I was enthusiastic, eager, and almost completely in the dark about this new venture. All I knew was that I loved sharing stories and my new job as a librarian had opened up a whole world of folk tales that I had forgotten about, stories I'd read as a child and thousands that were new to me. I soon learned, via the "new" technology of listserves--the Storytell listserve in particular--that there was much more to telling stories than just know some tales. Papa Joe's wisdom has guided many a newbie teller over the years and he continues to offer his advice and stories generously. Here is one that is sure to be a favorite with both adults and the little ones in your home.

CHRIS MOUSE 

c1996 by Papa Joe

There's a Mouse that lives in my house. His name is Chris. Chris Mouse. I was telling him about all the Winter holidays people celebrate; Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Yule, Christmas...

"Chris Mouse! I wanna celebrate Chris Mouse!"

I said, "It's not Chris Mouse, Chris. It's Christmas, silly."

"That's what I said, Chris Mouse. I wanna celebrate Chris Mouse. How do you celebrate Chris Mouse?"

"Well, Chris. Some people put candles in their windows. Others put wreaths on their doors. Most folks around here put up Christmas Trees..."

"Chris Mouse Tree! I wanna Chris Mouse Tree!"

"Fine. Go get yourself a Chris Mouse Tree!"

So off he went to get a Chris Mouse Tree. Do you think he used a chain saw? Do you think he used a bow saw? Do you think he used an ax? 

He's a mouse. He used his teeth. Chewed it down. Set it up on his Chris Mouse Tree Stand.

"Now what do I do?"

"Well, Chris. When I was a boy we used tinsel, but now-a-days most folks avoid it, 'cause if a cat eats it, it could choke."

"I want to use tinsel!"

I got out some tinsel, but it was too long. I snipped it into a pile of tiny pieces. Then

Chris Mouse.

He took the tiny tinsel and he trimmed the tiny tree.

He took the tiny tinsel and he trimmed the tiny tree.

He took the tiny tinsel and he trimmed the tiny tree.

Then he said, "This is getting boring."

So I gave him a string of lights. He strung the tiny lights on the tiny Chris Mouse Tree.

Chris Mouse.

He took the tiny tinsel and he trimmed the tiny tree.

He took the tiny tinsel and he trimmed the tiny tree.

He took the tiny tinsel and he trimmed the tiny tree.

Then he said, "This is getting boring."

So I gave him a bell. He hung the tiny bell on the tiny Chris Mouse Tree.

Chris Mouse.

He took the tiny tinsel and he trimmed the tiny tree.

He took the tiny tinsel and he trimmed the tiny tree.

He took the tiny tinsel and he trimmed the tiny tree.

Then he said, "This is getting boring."

So I gave him a star. He taped the tiny star atop the tiny Chris Mouse Tree.

Chris Mouse.

He took the tiny tinsel and he trimmed the tiny tree.

He took the tiny tinsel and he trimmed the tiny tree.

He took the tiny tinsel and he trimmed the tiny tree.

Then he said,  "It took a ton of tinsel to trim this tiny tree!"

That's the story of Chris Mouse. I hope you enjoyed it!

You can find more of my stories at Papa Joe Storytelling

Pax & Amicitia,

Papa Joe

About Papa Joe: Papa Joe’s living folktales have engaged over thousands of audiences from Cow Head, Newfoundland to Austin, Texas; from the beaches in Florida to the mountains in Washington State. What makes Papa Joe so special? His love of good stories? His passion for telling? His devotion to his audiences? This Master Storyteller designs every show to meet your needs, and it’s the audience that leaves feeling special. They experience stories with the opportunity to share with the group. They learn to tell their own stories, and they know they can do it.

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Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.