Millie was a very small mouse. Smaller than most, in fact! She lived with her family under the floorboards of Old Man Tiber’s bakery, and every night, she’d watch the baker carefully. Old Man Tiber made the most wonderful cakes and cookies, but Millie’s favorite were the sunflower seed biscuits. They smelled like sunshine and happiness.
Millie dreamed of helping Old Man Tiber. She wanted to carry the tiny sprinkles to decorate the biscuits, or maybe even push a single sunflower seed into place. But she was just too little! Whenever she tried to lift something, it felt enormous. The other mice chuckled, saying, “You’re too small, Millie! Leave the big work to us.”
One day, Old Man Tiber was very worried. The special sugar for his biscuits had spilled! It wasn’t a huge spill, but it was enough to make a sticky mess, and he couldn’t reach all of it with his big hands. He sighed, “Oh dear, what will I do?”
Millie saw her chance. She scurried forward, her tiny heart beating fast. “I can help!” she squeaked. Old Man Tiber looked down, surprised. “You, little one? What can you do?”
“I’m small,” Millie explained, “so I can get into all the little cracks and corners where the sugar spilled. I can push it into a pile for you!” Old Man Tiber smiled. He gave Millie a tiny, clean brush and showed her what to do.
Millie worked and worked, pushing the sugar with all her might. It was hard work, and her little paws ached, but she didn’t give up. The other mice, seeing her determination, started to help too! They pushed sugar with their noses and paws, working together as a team.
Soon, the floor was clean! Old Man Tiber was overjoyed. “You saved the day, Millie!” he exclaimed. “And you, all of you little helpers!” He rewarded them with a mountain of sunflower seed biscuits.
Millie nibbled on a biscuit, feeling proud. She learned that even though she was small, she could achieve big things with perseverance and kindness. And she discovered that helping others felt even sweeter than the sunflower seed biscuits themselves.
From that day on, Millie wasn’t just the littlest mouse; she was the bravest and most helpful mouse in the bakery. She continued to help Old Man Tiber, proving that even the smallest creature can make a big difference. And every night, as she drifted off to sleep, she dreamed of all the wonderful things she would do tomorrow.