Mouse Island

By Richard Noble

On an Island off the coast of Cornwall can be found Mouse Island. Inside a walled garden is the model village which holds a magic secret. The animals can talk to The old man who cares for them.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Jul 8, 2014
• ISBN: 9781291944068

Book preview

Mouse Island

Mouse Island

By

Richard Noble

Copyright

© 2014 All rights reserved

First Edition

ISBN 978-1-291-94406-8

Illustrations

Bumble – chapt 1

Narrow boat – chapt 1

Caravan – chapt 2

Wheel barrow – chapt 2

Dog and mice – chapt 3

Mouse in duffle coat – chapt 4

Robin nest on tea pot – chapt 5

Mice on teapot – chapt 5

Lindy meets Scruffy – chapt 6

Lindy on boat – chapt 7

Lindy asleep on chair – chapt 7

Mouse in cage – chapt 8

Mouse cuts ribbon – chapt 9

Elizabeth mouse sings – chapt 9

Sign post – chapt 10

Post box – chapt 11

Lighthouse – chapt 11

Lock gates – chapt 12

Chickens – chapt 13

Dolphins – chapt 14

Lindy waves goodbye – chapt 15

Chapter 1: The Model Village

Just off the south coast of Cornwall is the Island of Mouse. It is a beautiful island with a small village harbour and a farm with green fields for their herd of black-and-white cows.  Life on the island was very relaxed and the people were very contented. In the village was a grocers shop, souvenir shop and a small tea room for the summer visitors. At the far end of the village green was a secret walled cottage next to the tiniest, prettiest church you ever saw.

Inside the walled garden was a model village which visitors came to see at the weekends. Boats only carried visitors on Saturdays and Sundays. They arrived in the morning and went home at six p.m. after having tea in the afternoon at the island’s tea room.

A model village was sited inside a large walled garden which was really very old and had moss in the cracks. It was looked after by old Bill Umble known to his friends as Bumble. Bumble lived on his own inside the cottage within the walled garden and was a very quiet and gentle man. He had round glasses, a white beard and always wore a green flat cap and brown corduroy trousers with red braces to hold them up.

The model village had been built many years ago by his father and Bumble had learnt how to look after the different houses and buildings when he was a boy. He had a brother Robert who went to London when he was very young and they had drifted apart. He had only seen him a few times over the years at family weddings. London was such a long way away and Robert worked in the big city.

Bumble was happy to see the families with children visit his model village at the weekends but will also quite pleased to be on his own in the walled garden during the week. I say on his own but really he had many friends although no one knew about them and no one would believe him even if he told them.

The model village had many different buildings and houses including castle, a church and a canal running right through the middle. There were bakers and butchers shops and a town hall with a clock on the top. The school had a playground and there was a white windmill on the top of a small hill. There was also a small garden where Bumble grew vegetables and fruit which also looked like it was a farm for the village.

Bumble lived in a small cottage with an old fashioned chimney and the bay fronted window in the front room. The visitors would come in through a large side gate and buy their tickets from Bumble at a wooden shed before passing under a rose arch into the village. They then followed the paths around seeing all the different places stopping to rest on some of the wooden benches and enjoy the peace and quiet of the garden with birds and bees flying around. After they left they would walk to the beach and have an ice cream or visit the gift shop and see all the small models homes and dolls house furniture Mrs Bourne had for sale.

After the last visitor had left the island the boat would sound its horn as it chugged out of the harbour. Bumble closed his double gate and muttered to himself that's it for another week and celebrated with his traditional glass of port and a small packet of his favorite cashew nuts at the table and bench overlooking the model village.

At that moment the model canal barge came from behind the castle move slowly towards him and berthed. Hello Thomas, said Bumble you heard the horn then?

I certainly did, said a small voice from the back of the barge and a small brown mouse with a bright blue waistcoat jumped onto the wharf and tied the barge rope to the ring.

I say Bumble how about one of those tasty cashew nuts for old friend? asked Thomas.

Bumble smiled and leaned over handing the mouse a couple of nuts from the packet and poured some port into a brightly coloured bucket on the roof of the barge you seem happy with life this evening said the mouse.

Why shouldn't I be, replied Bumble "no one lost their children or walked over my flower beds or left sticky sweet papers along the path. The sun is