Once upon a time, a small, curious mouse lived in a restaurant in the middle of a little town. She was very happy with her life. She didn’t have to worry much about food—there was more than enough in the restaurant. Her tummy was always full of all kinds of treats.
One day, the little mouse felt like having something sweet. She tiptoed into the kitchen and ate an entire giant cake and lots of candy. Before long, her teeth started to ache. She didn’t realize she had eaten far too many sweets. All that sugar was too much for her tiny body. Tearful, the mouse wondered what to do. Her teeth hurt so much.
A bat, who slept beneath the restaurant’s roof during the day, heard her sobbing.
“What’s wrong, little mouse? Why are you crying so much?” he asked.
“My teeth hurt, and I don’t know why. Can you please help me?” the mouse replied.
“I’m afraid I can’t help with that, but try asking the spider—he’s very wise.”
The mouse went over to the spider in the corner, but he couldn’t help her either. She asked other animals who had their own secret homes in the restaurant. None of them ate sweets, so they didn’t know what a toothache felt like, and they couldn’t help the little mouse.
She was starting to feel desperate when she heard voices in the dining room. The voices belonged to a kindhearted family enjoying their dinner. The mouse bravely approached them and asked for help. The family was surprised to see a mouse talking to them, but they decided to listen and help.
“You can’t eat so many sweets; there’s a lot of sugar in them, and that harms your teeth,” said the youngest daughter, Anička.
“There are healthy treats, too, like fruit and nuts, and I’m sure you’ll enjoy cheese,” added their smiling son, Jurko.
“You have to brush your teeth regularly with a toothbrush and toothpaste. Our children learned how, and I’m sure you can, too,” said the mother, gently stroking the little mouse.
“Regular visits to the dentist are important as well—they’ll make sure your teeth stay healthy,” concluded the father, wrapping up their advice.
The restaurant’s chef overheard this unusual conversation and decided to prepare a small plate full of healthy treats for the mouse every day.
The mouse was very grateful for their help. She realized that if she had eaten healthier food from the start and taken care of her teeth, she wouldn’t have had to go through all that pain. From that day on, the little mouse ate only healthy food, brushed her teeth regularly, and was much happier and healthier.
Fun Facts for Kids
