19-DON'T MESS WITH MOMMA!

DON'T MESS WITH MOMMA! I took my things and scuttled away, quiet as a mouse. Oh, how I wished I was home! As I left, I heard my cousin giggling. "What a wacko," he sputtered. "That mouse is going to end up on the funny farm for sure!" My whiskers were quivering with rage. How dare he call me a wacko! I've seen those mice at the Mad Mouse Center. And let me tell you, I do not act like them! Oh, sure, some of them are a little on the jumpy side, just like me. And yes, some of them claim to have seen things like ghosts and mummies, just like me. And some of them may even be afraid of heights

and spiders and electric toothbrushes and cotton candy (it gets stuck in the whiskers) and well, you get the idea. But I am not like them! I am a mouse of honur! Holding my candle high, I crept slowly down the dark hallway. I was so frightened, I blinked rapidly to keep from crying my eyes out. Finally, I came to a room wallpapered with yellow roses. It was double the size of the other bedrooms. The four-poster bed was HUGE. My whole family, including my

chubby uncle Cheesebelly, could have slept in it! The drapes had the same pretty yellow roses on them. Too bad it looked as if someone had slashed them with a knife. Still, the room was quite spectacular. And it even smelled like roses. Above the fireplace hung a huge portrait with a golden frame. It showed Duchess Curlypaw Cannycat. She was surrounded by her children, grandchildren, and great- grandchildren. By the look on her face, you could tell she was the true ruler of the

Cannycat clan. On a chest of drawers stood a marble bust of the duchess. She wore a superior smile on her furry face. It was engraved: DON'T MESS WITH MOMMA! A miniature reproduction of the castle stood on the bedside table. I bent closer to get a better look. Etched into the silver were the words CURLYPAW CANNYCAT'S CASTLE. I was right. It seemed the duchess had been the ruler of the castle. I had a feeling she ruled with an iron paw! On the walls hung letters from the most famous cats of

the time. There were letters from grand dukes, kings, even emperors. I was impressed. Duchess Curlypaw Cannycat was no kitty. She also had expensive tastes. I saw lots of gold and precious jewels on her many bureaus. On one stood a heavy golden birdcage with a bird tweeting in the center. On another, I spotted a magnificent solid-gold crown. It was set with rubies as big as cats' eyes. This must have been the duchess's crown! Then I spotted a TINY gold figurine. It was a shy, timid-looking cat. A little plaque underneath the figurine read: MY DECEASED HUSBAND DUKE PEEWEE PUNYPAW (1720-1760)

Well, that explains it, I thought. Curlypaw Cannycat was a widow. That's why she ruled over the castle and the family. I also found a dusty small pillow. It was decorated with tiny yellow roses and the words: Mamma is the ruler around this place, so do as she says... or she'll rearrange your face!