Efi Mouse Girl II: Trouble in the Kitchen
Angrily, the crow pecks at the door from outside, and her little brother bursts into tears.
“I’m hungry and I’m cold. We’ll never get back to our nest.”
“Stop crying. It’s already late, so let’s sleep, and tomorrow we’ll surely find a way back. We’ll be home with Mama and Papa in time for the presents, I promise!”
But even Efi doubts her own words.
The cellar door is firmly locked.
The gap is not wide enough.
And on top of that, she has lost her precious present.
She had been so excited to give it to her parents and see the happiness on their faces.
Cuddled up together, they spend the night.
The next morning—Christmas morning—Efi gets up early to find a way out of their predicament.
She scurries through the passages, searching. Between dust and dirt, she discovers a white, gleaming pebble.
The long, narrow stone is smooth, without a single rough edge, and shines like a pearl.
It may not be quite as beautiful as her glittering stone, but it will still make a wonderful present.
As she tucks it deep into her backpack, she notices a cable. It runs from the floor to the ceiling and finally disappears into a hole.
That’s it!
That’s the way out of the cellar!
“How am I supposed to get up there?” her little brother asks when Efi shows him. “I’m still so small. I’ll never make the climb.”
“You’re a mouse. And mice are good climbers. We have long claws. They may not be very good for holding a pencil, but they’re perfect for climbing walls or digging in the ground. Just trust the mouse inside you.”
Hesitantly, her little brother climbs a few centimeters upward. He looks down the cable and whimpers:
“It’s so high. I’m scared to go any farther.”
Efi pulls out her sewing needle and gently pricks him on the bottom.
Her little brother squeaks in pain, climbs a little farther and stops halfway. Once again, he starts to whine, and Efi climbs up behind him.
Carefully, she gives him another little prick with the needle, and bit by bit they crawl up to the hole and through the ceiling into a wonderfully fragrant kitchen.
Her little brother rubs his sore bottom. His stomach growls.
The room smells so heavenly, filled with the most delicious scents, that even Efi’s mouth begins to water.
Cookies! Gingerbread! Spekulatius!
They sit on plates, just waiting to be nibbled. The smell of cinnamon hangs in the air.
But Efi knows they have to be careful.
Humans live here. And humans are afraid of mice. They set traps and …
Oh no.
Where is her little brother?
Hungrily, he pads toward a piece of cheese arranged festively on a table—just the right size for a mouse.
At the last moment, Efi holds him back and scolds him. “Don’t wander off. It’s too dangerous!”
But her little brother does not understand why she is upset. He is so hungry. The meal looks far too tempting.
Efi pulls out her needle and presses down on a metal plate.
With a loud snap, the mousetrap slams shut.
The piece of cheese flies through the air and lands in her little brother’s arms. Happily, he begins to nibble.
From the living room, a woman complains:
“No. No. No. You can’t do that.”
A man tries to calm her:
“It’s not that bad. I’ll get something sweet first.”
A gray-haired grandfather enters the kitchen and jumps in fright.
“Oh my goodness, filthy mice.”
Angrily, Efi plants her paws on her hips.
“I’m not dirty. I’m exactly as clean as a mouse needs to be—and even a little cleaner! I always wash my little paws properly after using the toilet, and every morning and evening I carefully groom my fur!”
The human is not impressed. He grabs a broom and swings it back.
Efi grabs her little brother, and together they make a run for it. They dodge the blow and flee between Grandpa’s legs.
With heavy footsteps, he gives chase.
A scream echoes from the living room. Grandma quickly pulls her two grandchildren behind her, while Grandpa comes charging in, huffing and puffing, with the broom in his hands.
He raises it to strike again, but the Mäuserichs escape beneath the apartment door.