Chapter I

THE STRANGE BABY

Mr. Little 1 and his family lived in New York City. 2 Mr. Little worked in an office. His wife, Mrs. 3 Little, took care of the house. 4 She was a kind woman and liked animals. She kept a white cat called Snowball. 5 She also liked to play the piano. Mr. and Mrs. Little had a son called George, 6 who went to school and liked to play ping-pong. In every way 7 it was quite a usual family. But one day something very unusual happened to them, and that was when Mrs. Little's second son was born.

When he was born, everybody saw that he was no bigger than a mouse. The baby looked very much like 8 a mouse in every way. He was only two inches high, 9 he had a sharp nose, a long tail and whiskers. Before he was many days old 10 he began to walk, just like a mouse. Mr. and Mrs. Little called him Stuart, and made him a bed out of a cigarette box.

 

Mrs. Little saw at once that baby clothes were not good for Stuart. So she made him a fine blue suit with a pocket in which he could keep his handkerchief. She also gave him a grey hat and a small stick.

Very soon Stuart could not only walk, but also run, jump and climb lamps by the cord. 11 And that even before he was a month old!

When Stuart was a month old he was still so small and light that his mother sent for the doctor. The doctor liked Stuart very much and said that it was very unusual for an American family to have a mouse. He took 12 Stuart's temperature and found that it was normal for a mouse. He listened to his heart and looked into his ears. Everything was all right, and Mrs. Little was very glad to hear it.

"Feed him up!" 13 said the doctor and went away.

 

 

1 Mr. Little —мистер Литл (Mr. — сокр. от mister)

2 New York City - город Нью-Йорк (американцы обычно добавляют слово City, чтобы отличить город Нью-Йорк от штата Нью-Йорк)

3 Mrs. (сокр. от mistress) — миссис

4 took care of the house — вела хозяйство

5 called Snowball — по кличке Снежок

6 George — Джордж

7 In every way - Во всех отношениях

8 looked very much like — был очень похож

9 two inches high - ростом в два дюйма (около 5 см)

10 Before he was many days old — He успело ему исполниться несколько дней

11 by the cord — по шнуру

12 took — зд. измерил

13 Feed him up! — Подкормите его!