If You Give a Mouse a Cookie

In a quiet, cozy kitchen, where the scent of freshly baked cookies filled the air, a little boy named Sam sat at the table, munching on a gooey chocolate chip cookie. The kitchen was a magical place, with a big window that looked out to a garden full of bright, colorful flowers and a tiny door at the base of the wall that was just the right size for a mouse. Suddenly, Sam saw a tiny pair of eyes peeking out from the little door. Out came a mouse with a twitching nose and big, curious eyes. The mouse sniffed the air and looked up at Sam. With a smile, Sam held out a cookie. "Would you like a cookie, little mouse?" The mouse's eyes lit up, and it eagerly took the cookie. But as soon as it had a taste, the mouse decided it needed a glass of milk to go with it. "If you give a mouse a cookie," Sam began to think, "it's going to ask for a glass of milk." Sure enough, the mouse looked up and said, "Can I have a glass of milk, please?" Sam nodded and fetched a small glass of milk. The mouse drank it all up and then noticed that drinking milk had given it a tiny milk mustache. "I need a napkin to wipe my face," said the mouse. Sam handed the mouse a napkin, and the mouse wiped its whiskers. Then, it looked around the kitchen and noticed how shiny the countertops were. "If the countertops are this clean," thought the mouse, "my fur should be, too." "I need to look in a mirror," the mouse declared. Sam led the mouse to the big mirror in the hallway. The mouse admired itself and then noticed its whiskers needed trimming. "Can I borrow some scissors?" asked the mouse. Sam hesitated, but then he grabbed a pair of safe, blunt-tip scissors and handed them over. The mouse trimmed one whisker, then the other until they were just perfect. "Now I need a broom to clean up this mess!" the mouse exclaimed, seeing tiny whisker bits on the floor. Sam fetched a broom and dustpan, and together they cleaned up the hallway floor. When they were done, the mouse looked very satisfied. "I could really use a little nap after this busy day," said the mouse, yawning. Sam brought out an old, small dollhouse bed and fluffed the pillow for the mouse. As the mouse snuggled in, it sighed contentedly. "But before I fall asleep," it said with a sleepy smile, "I think I'd like one more cookie." Sam chuckled and handed over another cookie. The mouse nibbled happily before drifting off to sleep. As Sam quietly walked away, he knew that as long as there were cookies, milk, and a tiny friend, every day would be filled with delightful surprises and new adventures. And maybe, just maybe, he'd need to start baking more cookies.