Pipkin was a very small mouse, even for a mouse. He lived under the floorboards of Old Man Tiber’s cozy cottage, and spent his days collecting crumbs and bits of string. He wasn’t a particularly *brave* mouse, truth be told. Loud noises made him jump, and shadows sometimes sent him scurrying for cover. But Pipkin had a very kind heart.
One afternoon, Pipkin was tidying his little nest when he heard a tiny sob. He peeked out from under the floorboards and saw Beatrice, the bumblebee, buzzing sadly near a patch of sunflowers. ‘What’s wrong, Beatrice?’ Pipkin squeaked, trying to sound braver than he felt.
Beatrice sniffled. ‘I’ve lost the sparkly button from my best pollen pouch! It was a gift from my grandmother, and I need it to collect the golden sunflower pollen. Without it, I can’t make the sweetest honey!’
Pipkin’s whiskers twitched. A sparkly button sounded very important. He knew Old Man Tiber had a whole box of buttons in the attic, but the attic was… scary. It was dark and dusty, and full of strange shapes. Still, Beatrice was so upset. Pipkin knew he had to try.
‘I’ll help you find it!’ Pipkin declared, puffing out his chest. He scurried through the cottage, avoiding the big feet of Old Man Tiber and the playful paws of Clementine, the cat. Reaching the attic stairs, he took a deep breath. It smelled of old wood and forgotten things.
The attic *was* scary. Cobwebs hung like ghostly curtains, and dust motes danced in the single ray of sunlight. Pipkin bravely ventured into the gloom, his tiny heart thumping. He searched and searched, pushing aside spools of thread and stacks of old books. He even peeked inside a dusty teapot!
Finally, tucked away in a corner of the button box, he saw it! A tiny, sparkly, golden button. It shimmered even in the dim light. ‘I found it!’ Pipkin squeaked with delight, carefully carrying the button back down the stairs.
Beatrice was overjoyed! She carefully attached the button to her pollen pouch. ‘Oh, Pipkin, you are a true friend!’ she buzzed happily. ‘You were so brave to go up to the attic!’
Pipkin blushed. He hadn’t felt brave at all, but helping Beatrice had made him feel… good. Really good. He realized that even a small mouse could do big things, especially when helping a friend. He learned that sometimes, being helpful is the bravest thing of all.
Beatrice, grateful for Pipkin’s help, shared a tiny drop of her golden sunflower honey with him. It was the sweetest honey Pipkin had ever tasted. As the sun set, Pipkin returned to his cozy nest under the floorboards, feeling warm and happy. He knew that even the smallest creatures could make a big difference, and that kindness and bravery always paid off. And that, thought Pipkin, was a very good thing indeed.