His and her church mouse bookplates for little ones to label their literary collections. Just write each child's name above the mouse graphic, cut out the bookplate and paste it inside the book cover or onto the first page of each book belonging to your child. The designs are by Martha Feller King. You can find more of her bookplates for children here. Book plates are for personal projects only and should not be redistributed from any other website but this one. Do not sale the images.
Black and white church mouse book plates for a little girl.
Black and white church mouse book plates for a little boy.
A Lion lay asleep in the forest, his great head resting on his paws. A timid little Mouse came upon him unexpectedly, and in her fright and haste to get away, ran across the Lion's nose. Roused from his nap, the Lion laid his huge paw angrily on the tiny creature to kill her. "Spare me!" begged the poor Mouse. "Please let me go and some day I will surely repay you." The Lion was much amused to think that a Mouse could ever help him. But he was generous and finally let the Mouse go. Some days later, while stalking his prey in the forest, the Lion was caught in the toils of a hunter's net. Unable to free himself, he filled the forest with his angry roaring. The Mouse knew the voice and quickly found the Lion struggling in the net. Running to one of the great ropes that bound him, she gnawed it until it parted, and soon the Lion was free. "You laughed when I said I would repay you," said the Mouse. "Now you see that even a Mouse can help a Lion."
What is the moral of the story? A kindness is never wasted.
Above, I have restored a tiny mouse pattern for you to embroider. Include him on a quilt, blanket or tea towel, if you'd like. He might also look charming on a little child's apron or pillow too.
"Time of the Church" is book number one out of a series of three, following two very curious mice, Smudge and Smidge, who decide to make a church their new home. There is a very old and wise church mouse called Elder Mouse who insists his new mice pupils should learn about the ways of all people and mice who take refuge in a Lutheran church. He first teaches them about Pentecost, it's symbols and celebrations found in scripture and practiced weekly and then after - The Holy Trinity and Reformation Day etc... Soon Smudge and Smidge are coloring and sewing all kinds of art to represent their new understanding. Included with each of the three books in the set are puzzles, games and crafts for little folks to follow along with the two artistic mice.
Here about the journey of two church mice to learn about the times of the church and The Holy Trinity.
The Mice once called a meeting to decide on a plan to free themselves of their enemy, the Cat. At least they wished to find some way of knowing when she was coming, so they might have time to run away. Indeed, something had to be done, for they lived in such constant fear of her claws that they hardly dared stir from their dens by night or day. Many plans were discussed, but none of them was thought good enough. At last a very young Mouse got up and said: "I have a plan that seems very simple, but I know it will be successful. All we have to do is to hang a bell about the Cat's neck. When we hear the bell ringing we will know immediately that our enemy is coming." All the Mice were much surprised that they had not thought of such a plan before. But in the midst of the rejoicing over their good fortune, an old Mouse arose and said: "I will say that the plan of the young Mouse is very good. But let me ask one question: Who will put the bell on the Cat?" Aesop's Fables
What's the moral of the story? "It is one thing to say that something should be done, but quite a different matter to do it!"
A Town Mouse once visited a relative who lived in the country. For lunch the Country Mouse served wheat stalks, roots, and acorns, with a dash of cold water for drink. The Town Mouse ate very sparingly, nibbling a little of this and a little of that, and by her manner making it very plain that she ate the simple food only to be polite. After the meal the friends had a long talk, or rather the Town Mouse talked about her life in the city while the Country Mouse listened. They then went to bed in a cozy nest in the hedgerow and slept in quiet and comfort until morning. In her sleep the Country Mouse dreamed she was a Town Mouse with all the luxuries and delights of city life that her friend had described for her. So the next day when the Town Mouse asked the Country Mouse to go home with her to the city, she gladly said yes. When they reached the mansion in which the Town Mouse lived, they found on the table in the dining room the leavings of a very fine banquet. There were sweetmeats and jellies, pastries, delicious cheeses, indeed, the most tempting foods that a Mouse can imagine. But just as the Country Mouse was about to nibble a dainty bit of pastry, she heard a Cat mew loudly and scratch at the door. In great fear the Mice scurried to a hiding place, where they lay quite still for a long time, hardly daring to breathe. When at last they ventured back to the feast, the door opened suddenly and in came the servants to clear the table, followed by the House Dog. The Country Mouse stopped in the Town Mouse's den only long enough to pick up her carpet bag and umbrella. "You may have luxuries and dainties that I have not," she said as she hurried away, "but I prefer my plain food and simple life in the country with the peace and security that go with it."
