A 
Copyrighted 1998 Betty L. Drummond
VOLUME 1
(INTRODUCTION)
Once upon a time, there was a family of mice living near a cornfield, in the trunk of a big Oak tree just like this one.
At first there were only two members of the Fields family, the husband Ralph, and his loving wife Bitsy. Bitsy, at the time was a soon to be mother and to her surprise sooner than she expected. Nurse Nibble, a close friend of the Fields, arrived quickly and excited to help in the welcoming of the newest addition of the family.
"It will be a day to remember,"
thought Ralph, as he anxiously paced outside the bedroom door.
A warm cup of cocoa seemed to calm Ralph’s nerves as he sat down at the kitchen table. He wondered about what changes would have to be made, and if he would be as good of a father as his own. Ralph spoke to his father only a week before. He knew there would be a lot to learn. His father, though, only had this advice," Nobody knows how to be a parent," he said. "Our children teach us as we go." Ralph was confused remembering his father’s words. It was in that moment, while in that thought his world had been changed forever.
"It’s a boy!" Shouted Nurse Nibble.
Father rushed in. ‘Where is he?"
"Right here," said Bitsy.
"I can’t see him," cried Ralph.
"Look here!" Bitsy said sternly.
Ralph looked around. "I still don’t see."
Bitsy held the baby up.
"He is barely there," said Ralph. "I can barely see him."
Then, he stuttered, "he, he is so small he is barely there."
With a warm, tender tone, Ralph said. "It’s my tiny, beautiful, barely there baby boy."
"That’s it," said Bitsy.
"What’s it?" asked Ralph.
"That’s the name, BARELY! BARELY!" She exclaimed.
Nurse Nibble agreed. The three together look down to this new child, anticipating and imagining the endless possibilities for the future. Bitsy and Ralph were enormously happy. They spent the next three days alone in their bedroom together, planing and preparing for their new life with their beautiful baby boy. Bitsy realized she needed to make Barely some new clothes. Nothing she made was the right size for her tiny son. While sitting in bed, she rested and sewed. Every stitch she pulled was pulled with love. So, that is the story of how Barely came to be. There were many things in store for their tiny new arrival, and many adventures to come. Barely had just begun.
The story of Barely Mouse starts when he is at the age of five. But first, I would like to tell you Barely was a very good baby and very smart too. He always showed respect for others, and did his best to be good. Barely learned to walk, and talk but most important he learned how to be a good friend. He was not perfect, he did get in trouble from time to time, but he was full of good intentions. Hide and seek was Barely’s favorite game. Mamma and Papa played it with him many times, but when Barely was a baby he played hide and seek once, and Bitsy and Ralph did not know that he was playing. Barely hid in a pillowcase on Mamma’s bed. First, he took the pillow out of its case and put it in the closet. Then, he crawled in the pillowcase on Mamma’s bed and fell asleep. Bitsy did not know where he was and she was frightened to think of what could have happened to Barely. Bitsy looked everywhere, and when she did not find him, she called Papa home from work. Papa looked for Barely, and when he could not find him, he called the Mice, Police. The Mice Police looked and did not find Barely. The neighbors were all searching outside for Barely. Everyone was terrified and then a few hours later Barely woke up and walked into the living room. He scratched his head, yawned sleepily, and wondered what was going on.
Barely asked, "Who are all these mice?"
Bitsy and Ralph nearly fainted. Papa ran to Barely and rose him up in his arms.
"Where were you," cried Mamma and Papa!"
"I was playing hide and seek," Barely said, "and no one found me."
That was the first time Barely got in trouble. Bitsy told him not to play hide and seek anymore without asking her first.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
It was a cold and rainy day. Barely, understandably energetic, leaped out of bed ready for the day.
"It’s my Birthday!" He shouted.
Mamma mouse looked at the large clock, which hung over her bed.
"It’s five in the morning!" she exclaimed. Questionably she uttered, "Don’t you know how early that is?"
Barely did not, he only knew it was his birthday. Mamma pulled herself out of bed while Barely ran through the house.
"Where are my presents?" he asked.
Mamma replied, "Not now Barely."
Barely’s attention changed to the chart on the wall. He knew he must have grown at least a little. He rushed to the mark that his Papa had made the year before.
"Hum" he thought, "I hope I have grown."
Boldly he crossed his fingers as he did each day while he stood at the mark. He turned slowly with one hand placed on his head. Unfortunately, it touched the same spot it had the day, the week, the month and the year before.
"I’m five years old!" Barely yelled. "I’ll never grow!"
Barely was the smallest mouse in the fields where he lived. His mother and father tried to impress in him the knowledge that his size could not stop him from doing big things. Barely’s mother reminded him of this, and asked him to get cleaned up and ready for breakfast.
After breakfast, Mamma and Barely began blowing up balloons and hanging the decorations for the party. Mamma made a three-layer chocolate, cheesecake for the party. It was Barely’s favorite. Barely took the balloons and taped them to the walls and on the back of chairs. Mamma hung some up high over the table on the ceiling. Next, she hung pretty red and blue, colored paper streamers from the ceiling.
It was seven in the morning when Papa came home. Papa worked at night, digging under ground. His job was making new tunnels and repairing old ones. Papa worked until eight in the morning most days but on this day he came home early. He told mamma that the rain had seeped into the tunnels and it was to wet and dangerous to work. Papa held Barely up to hang the last balloons leading into the doorway into the living room. They were ready for the guests, and a lot earlier than they needed to be. Barely was ready for the party to start. Mamma tried to keep Barely busy cleaning so the time would go by faster. Barely cleaned his room, or so he thought. He put all his toys and books under his bed. Dreamily, he shoved his dirty clothes into his drawers. Mamma was not happy.
She told Barely, "If you are going to do something, you need to do it right."
Barely cleaned his room again. This time he put all his dirty clothes into his drawers. Mamma was not happy.
She told Barely, "If you are going to do something, you need to do it right."
Barely cleaned his room again. This time he put all his dirty clothes in the hamper, his books on the shelf and his toys in the toy box.
"That is better!" chuckled Mamma.
When the rain stopped and the cleaning was done Barely and Papa played ball outside. Barely was not a very good catcher. The ball was always too big for Barely to hold on to. Barely tried but he just could not do it.
Papa said, "I think it is time to open one of your presents."
"Yea!" Barely shouted, enthusiastically.
Papa pulled a small box from behind his back, and handed it to Barely. It was wrapped in yellow paper with a blue ribbon. "
"What is it?" Barely exclaimed, as he ripped open the gift.
"A ball!" "A ball!" Barely was very happy and screamed in excitement.
"It is just the right size!" exclaimed, Barely.
Papa threw the ball to Barely and he caught it on his first try. They played for a few minutes, but when it began raining again they went inside.
Later in the afternoon the guest began to arrive. Each of them put a present on the table near the door as they walked in. The children played games and the adults talked as Barely watched out the window. It rained while he waited for the last guests. Soon everyone but Barely’s best friend and neighbor was there.
"We can’t have a party without Chubby," Barely told his mother.
"I’ll call and see if he is on his way," Mamma replied.
She spoke on the phone a moment and quickly hung up.
"Chubby left ten minutes ago," she told Barely. "He should be here by now," she said.
Bitsy and Ralph were worried, so they, Barely and his guest went out on the front porch.
"Chubby where are you?" They shouted as the rain poured down.
While everyone listened Barely slowly move off the porch into the mud and rain below and quietly walked in the direction of Chubby’s home.
"Chubby, were are you?" He called out in a calm voice.
"I’m right here," Chubby, replied nervously.
Barely looked around as he listened for his voice.
"Here," he repeated.
"What are you doing in the mud?" Barely asked.
"I’m stuck." Chubby cried.
Barely thought a minute and looked around. When he saw a long rock next to Chubby he looked for a long and strong stick. He found one, picked it up and laid it over the rock. Chubby was sinking deeper into the mud.
"Hurry!" Chubby wailed.
"Grab the stick and hold on," Barely ordered.
He pushed the stick down as hard and as far as he could, struggling to set Chubby free. Chubby plopped safely out from the mud.
"You saved my life," he sighed in Awe.
They were full of mud but safe when they returned to the party. Bitsy and Ralph were very proud of their son. Fearful Mamma though, was a bit upset that Barely had left to look on his own.
Barely explained, "if someone bigger had gone, they may have sunk in the mud like Chubby."
Mr. Fields trusted Barely’s judgment and convinced his wife that Barely had done the right thing. Chubby thought Barely was the smartest and bravest mouse in the world, and he told him so, all afternoon.
Everyone at the party had a great time. Barely received many gifts. Chubby brought Barely a new catcher’s mitt, to go with Barely’s new ball. Chubbys’ father, Mr. Nester, made it himself. All of Barely’s friends sang the Happy Birthday song. Barley blew out the candles on his cake and all the children ate cake and ice cream. Later, the children played with the games and new toys that Barely was given for his birthday. Barely was very happy with all of his gifts. He made sure he thanked everyone for the gifts and for coming to his party. Bitsy and Ralph were impressed by Barely’s splendid good manners. Papa felt that it was he and Mamma who were responsible for teaching Barely how to be a good host. Obviously happy, Papa, stood tall and proud, as he and Mamma watched and admired Barely with his friends.
THE STORM
In the evening, after most of the
guest had left, Chubby and Barely sat down for another piece of
cake. Uncle Cheesy and Nurse Nibble were in the living room
talking, while Bitsy and Ralph finished up washing the dishes.
Uncle Cheesy was Barely’s favorite Uncle. He always had time
to spend with Barely. Cheesy was Bitsy's brother and was not
married. He had no children of his own. Nurse Nibble was not
married either. Suddenly, as the boys ate, it began to lightning.
Loud crashes of thunder shook the house.
"Chubby, it looks like you are going to spend the night." Mamma observed as the rain poured down.
"I’ll call your mother and see if it is all right" she told him.
Justifiably, as the storm worsened, Mamma insisted that Uncle Cheesy and Nurse Nibble also stay until morning. The rain would not stop. Papa put towels from the bathroom on the bottom of the doorways so that water would not run in under them. Everyone sat quietly, worrying and waiting for the rain to stop. Ralph knew the tunnels must have been collapsing. They were flooded earlier that morning. The tunnels provided farm mice with safe traveled. Through them they could avoid being eaten by cats, ran over by tractors, or harmed by other dangers that lay on the land. It was a long night for everyone in the Field’s home that evening. But, for Papa, it was his lives work crumbling below him.
The very next morning, the rain stopped and the sun came out. Papa, Barely and Uncle Cheesy checked the main tunnel, which lead to the store and food storage. Uncle Cheesy climbs in. Barely and Papa stood outside the tunnel’s entrance.
"It’s pretty wet but it looks okay from here!" shouted Cheesy.
"Come on out!" Ralph hollered.
"Hold on," said Cheesy.
Ralph waited seemingly loosing track of time.
"It might not be safe!" Ralph boomed. "Come on out!"
"I’m trying, I’m trying," Ralph heard in a faint muffled voice.
Without warning, Ralph was shocked with horror as he watched the tunnel cave abruptly on top of Cheesy.
"Oh!" was the only sound Papa and Barely heard.
"Cheesy, can you hear me?" Papa yelled powerfully.
Cheesy did not answer.
"Go get help!" Papa squealed to his son.
Barely ran to the house. When he told his Mamma and Nurse Nibble what happened, Bitsy quickly called for help. Ralph was outside digging as fast as he could as Mamma, Nurse Nibble and Barely returned. They also began to dig. During which time the rescuers from town at last came, and Uncle Cheesy was pulled out from the mud within minutes. Nurse Nibble sensibly brought her medical bag. She put sniffing salt under Cheesy’s nose. It smelled really strong, plus awfully bad, but it woke Cheesy up. After Cheesy opened his eyes, Nurse Nibble examined him.
"He has to go to the hospital," said Nurse Nibble.
"But the mice from town had already tried to travel through the tunnels, and they explained with regret, "There is no way to get there."
Woefully they informed the Nurse," Most of the tunnels are gone, flooded, or too dangerous to travel in."
The hospital was to far to travel on land and it also was dangerous. Nurse Nibble suggested the only thing they could do was carry Uncle Cheesy back to the Field’s family home. Nurse Nibble stayed that day and came back every day to take care of him. She said she did not mind and would be glad to do it. Uncle Cheesy had broken his leg and two ribs. It would be many weeks before he would be back on his feet.