11.A BRIDEGROOM FOR MISS MOUSE
Miss MOUSE was so beautiful that her parents decided to
marry her to the most powerful being on earth. So they set out in search of a
bridegroom.
They went first to the Sun. ‘Oh, Sun,’ they pleaded, ‘please
marry our beautiful daughter.’ When the Sun agreed readily, they were assailed
by a doubt, and asked, ‘But are you really the most powerful being on earth?’
‘Why, no,’ replied the Sun, ‘the Rain is more powerful than
me because when it rains, I am driven out from the sky.’
‘Sorry,’ said the parents of Miss Mouse, turning to go, ‘but
we want only the most powerful being to marry our daughter.’
They went to the Rain, who however said that the Wind was
stronger than he, for rain clouds were always being driven about by the Wind.
So they went to the Wind, who, although willing to marry
Miss Mouse admitted that he was not the most powerful being, for he had never been
able, however hard he tried, to blow away the Mound, who always stood in the
Wind’s way.
So they went to the Mound, who told them that the Bull was
more powerful, for the Bull came every evening to sharpen his horns against the
Mound, breaking chunks off it in the process.
So they went to the Bull, who regretted he was not the most
powerful being, for he had to turn right and left according to the orders of the
Rope, which acted as the reins in the bullock-cart driver’s hands. So they went
to the Rope, who was over-joyed at the prospect of marrying the beautiful Miss
Mouse, but he also had to admit that there was one more powerful, namely the
Mouse who lived in the cow-shed, for he came every night to gnaw at the Rope.
So the Mouse who lived in the cow-shed was chosen as the
bridegroom. He was found to be a strong and handsome fellow, a worthy mate for
Miss Mouse.
(Page 29. Thirty Burmese Tales – By MAUNG HTIN AUNG, M.A.,
LL.B., Ph.D., D.Lit., BARRISTER-AT-LAW)
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