Mouse Deer and Farmer

One day, Mouse Deer went to the edge of the forest. He looked out at row after row of vegetables.

“Mmm,” said Mouse Deer. “Juicy cucumbers! Yummy yams!” he started into the garden.

Mouse Deer loved to eat the fruits and roots and shoots of the forest. But he loved something else even more. He loved the vegetables in Mr. Farmer’s garden.

Snap! “Oh!”

His leg was caught in a snare! Mouse Deer pulled and pulled. But he could not get away.

“Oh, no!” he said. “Mr. Farmer will have me for dinner!”

Then he saw Mr. Farmer coming. Mouse Deer thought fast. He lay on the ground and made his body stiff.

Mouse Deer laughed. “Mr. Farmer is smart, but Mouse Deer is smarter.”

“Well, well,” said Mr. Farmer. “Look what I caught. A mouse deer! But he looks dead.”

Mr. Farmer pushed him with his foot. Mouse Deer didn’t move.

“May be he’s been dead a long time,” said Mr. Farmer. “Too bad! I guess we can’t eat him.”

He pulled Mouse Deer’s leg out of the snare. Then he tossed Mouse Deer back into the forest. Mouse Deer landed with a soft plop. Then he jumped up and ran. Behind him, he heard Mr. Farmer yelled, “Hey, you trick me!”