The Vain Little Mouse facts for kids

The Vain Little Mouse (Spanish: La Ratita Presumida) is a classic folktale from Spain. It tells the story of a little mouse who is very proud of herself and wants to find the perfect husband. Many different animals try to win her over, but she is very picky! This story teaches us about making good choices and looking beyond appearances.

Different Versions of the Story

This popular tale has many different ways it can be told. In some versions, the little mouse meets a cat who speaks very sweetly. The mouse decides to marry the cat. However, the cat turns out to be dangerous, and the mouse has to be very careful!

Other versions of the story have more parts. Sometimes, the mouse's new husband, a he-mouse, has an accident and falls into a pot of broth. In some tales, after this sad event, the mouse's friends also have funny mishaps because they feel so sorry for her. Each friend describes their accident with a silly song.

The main character isn't always a mouse! Sometimes, the story is about a little ant or even a little cockroach looking for a partner.

Where the Story Comes From

The story of The Vain Little Mouse likely started as an oral tradition, meaning people told it aloud for many years before it was written down. Later, it was put into books, which helped create even more versions.

One of the first times this tale was mentioned in writing was by Fernán Caballero. She wrote about it in her books Lágrimas (1839) and La Gaviota (1856). The full story appeared later in her collection of tales, Cuentos, oraciones, adivinanzas y refranes populares (1877).

In Fernán Caballero's early version, the main character was a little ant. But this ant still married a mouse named Ratón Pérez. This character, Ratón Pérez, later became very famous in Spain. He inspired Padre Coloma to create a character similar to the Tooth Fairy!

Fernán Caballero's story included the four parts mentioned earlier. The third and fourth parts are similar to an English fairy tale called Titty Mouse and Tatty Mouse. This tale was collected by Joseph Jacobs in his book English Fairy Tales (1890). Joseph Jacobs found many similar stories from all over the world, from India to Spain.

Another important written version comes from Carmen Lyra in her book Cuentos de mi tía Panchita (1920). She thought the story might have come from an African or Asian origin. Her version is called La Cucarachita Mandinga, which means Mandinga, the Little Roach. Mandinga is another name for the Mandinka people. This suggests that the story might have been influenced by people brought from Africa.

Carmen Lyra's tales became a big part of Costa Rican folklore. The Little Roach character is also well-known in Cuba, Mexico, and Panama. In Panama, the story became even more popular when it was turned into a children's play by Rogelio Sinán, with music by Gonzalo Brenes.

In some versions, the cockroach is called Mondinga or Martina, especially in Cuba and the Caribbean. The main character's animal form can change depending on where the story is told. Pura Belpré from Puerto Rico published the first version in the U.S. in 1932. It was called Perez and Martina: a Puerto Rican Folktale. In 1936, Saturnino Calleja published La hormiguita se quiere casar, where the mouse is saved from the broth by the little ant.

Today, you can find newer versions of the story in bookstores. Daniel Moreton's version, La Cucaracha Martina: a Caribbean folktale, is based on Belpré's story. Joe Hayes' version, Mariposa: the butterfly, changes the roach into a butterfly!

What We Can Learn from the Story

This tale is great for teaching kids because it can be easily changed to fit different audiences. It's also a fun way to learn about animals and the sounds they make. Children can even join in by making the animal sounds! The story can also gently teach about being careful and avoiding things that might be dangerous.

See also

In Spanish: La Ratita Presumida para niños