The mouse’s wedding

A funny folk tale told in Japan and Korea. India’s Panchatantra has a story like it too!

News Nibbles Edition 4 · Saturday 31 October 2026· Page 19 of the paper

1. Mother and Father Mouse had a lovely daughter. “She must marry the strongest one in the whole world!” they said.

2. First they went to the Sun. “You are the strongest!” they said. “Oh no,” said the Sun. “The Cloud is stronger. It can cover me up.”

3. So they went to the Cloud. “Oh no,” said the Cloud. “The Wind is stronger. It blows me all over the sky.”

4. So they went to the Wind. “Oh no,” whooshed the Wind. “The Wall is stronger. I blow and blow, but I can’t move it.”

5. So they went to the Wall. “Oh no,” said the Wall. “A mouse is stronger! Mice can nibble holes right through me.”

6. So the daughter married a kind young mouse who lived next door. Everyone had a big party. Hooray!

The lesson: everyone is strong in their own way. Sometimes the best thing is right next door!

Who is stronger?

Fill in the gaps. Each one is beaten by the next!

Sun→Cloud→______→______→Mouse

Think about it

1. Why did the Sun say the Cloud was stronger?
2. What can a little mouse do that a big wall can’t?
3. What are you strong at?

Nibbles asksManisha (page 13) is strong. What other kinds of strong are there? Kind-strong, brave-strong, thinking-strong?