The Forest Bride: the Story of a Little Mouse wh

Name: The Forest Bride: the Story of a Little Mouse who was a Princess
Author: Parker Fillmore

A farmer with three sons instructs them to seek brides by following the direction their chopped trees fall. The eldest two head towards farms with potential brides, while the youngest, Veikko, finds his tree pointing into the forest. Despite his brothers' mockery, he ventures into the woods, where he encounters a little mouse who offers to be his sweetheart. Initially dismissive, Veikko grows fond of the mouse after she sings to him and agrees to take her as his sweetheart. When their father challenges the sons to have their sweethearts bake bread, Veikko worries about the mouse's abilities. However, the mouse surprises him by summoning her fellow mice to help her bake a beautiful loaf of wheaten bread, impressing their father. The brothers, envious, are further challenged to provide samples of weaving. Again, the mouse proves her worth by weaving fine linen with the help of her mouse friends. As the time comes to introduce their sweethearts to their father, Veikko's mouse insists on arriving in style. She commands a coach made from a nutshell, drawn by mice. On their way, a man pushes the coach off a bridge, seemingly drowning the mouse. Grieving, Veikko laments his lost sweetheart. Miraculously, a beautiful princess appears, revealing that she was the mouse under an enchantment that could only be broken by Veikko's acceptance of her love. The princess explains that the enchantment was lifted when she was drowned, and she invites Veikko to marry her. They return to Veikko's home, where his father and brothers are astonished by the princess's beauty. The brothers realize that it was not the direction of the tree that determined Veikko's fortune, but his kindness and acceptance of love in all forms. Veikko and the princess marry and live happily, embodying true love and loyalty.

By Parker Fillmore · First published 1920 · Genre: Children's Literature, Fairy Tale, Fantasy · 3,511 words

First lines

There was once a farmer who had three sons. One day when the boys were grown to manhood he said to them:

"My sons, it is high time that you were all married. To-morrow I wish you to go out in search of brides."

What this Textopian page supports

The Forest Bride: the Story of a Little Mouse who was a Princess is listed on Textopian as a novella by Parker Fillmore, dated 1920 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Novella
Author: Parker Fillmore
Date: 1920 CE
Language: English
Genres: Children's Literature, Fairy Tale, Fantasy, Adventure, Romance
Length: 3,511 words
Structure: 1 section, 136 paragraphs
Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)

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Work identity for The Forest Bride: the Story of a Little Mouse who was a Princess by Parker Fillmore
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Discussion starters

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Similar titles

Genres

Children's Literature — The story is aimed at a young audience, featuring a mouse princess and moral lessons about kindness and acceptance.
Fairy Tale — The narrative includes magical elements, such as a mouse transforming into a princess and themes of enchantment.
Fantasy — The plot involves anthropomorphic animals and fantastical events, characteristic of the fantasy genre.
Adventure — The protagonist embarks on a journey to find a bride, encountering challenges and adventures along the way.