Funny story: Why you should know more than one language

Once upon a time, in the cozy warmth of a grand old house, lived a little Baby Mouse and his wise Mother Mouse. Their home was a snug little hole in the wall, tucked safely away from the bustling human world. They had everything they needed, crumbs of bread, little chunks of cheese, and soft bits of cloth to keep them warm at night. Life inside their home was safe and comfortable, but Mother Mouse knew that one day, her child would have to explore the world beyond their cozy hole. One bright morning, Mother Mouse decided it was time for Baby Mouse to see the outside world. “Come along, my child. It is important to know what lies beyond our home,” she thought as she nudged Baby Mouse toward the entrance of their hole. Baby Mouse, full of curiosity, eagerly followed, his tiny whiskers twitching with excitement. But the moment they stepped out into the open, they were met with a terrifying sight, a huge ginger cat! The cat sat patiently, its tail swishing lazily, its sharp green eyes locked onto them. It licked its lips hungrily as if imagining just how delicious the two mice would taste. Baby Mouse’s heart pounded in his chest. His tiny paws trembled as he clung tightly to his mother’s tail. “Oh, no! We are trapped! What should we do?” he thought in a panic.

Mother Mouse, however, did not look frightened. Instead, she stood tall and still, facing the cat with confidence. She knew that fear would not help them now. She had faced danger before, and she had learned a valuable lesson. Taking a deep breath, she opened her mouth wide and, to Baby Mouse’s amazement, a loud sound erupted from her tiny body, “Woof! Woof! Bark! Bark! Grrrr!” The cat’s ears perked up in shock. Its eyes grew wide with fear. To the cat, the sound was unmistakable, it was the bark of a dog! And everyone knows that cats are terribly afraid of dogs. Without stopping to think, the cat turned and sprinted away, vanishing into the bushes. Baby Mouse watched in awe as the terrifying predator disappeared. His tiny mouth hung open in surprise. “How did Mother do that?” he wondered. Once they were safe, he turned to his mother, his eyes filled with admiration. “That was incredible, Mother! You sounded just like a real dog!” he thought, his little heart now swelling with relief and amazement. Mother Mouse chuckled and patted Baby Mouse gently on the head. “My dear child, today you have learned a very important lesson,” she thought wisely. “There is great power in knowing another language. If I had only spoken like a mouse, we would have been in great danger. But because I knew how to speak another language one that our enemy feared we were able to escape.” Baby Mouse nodded, deep in thought. He had always believed that words were just for talking, but today, he had seen how they could be used in clever ways. He realized that learning new things, especially languages, could one day save him from trouble, too. From that day on, Baby Mouse made a promise to himself. He would listen carefully, learn as much as he could, and always be ready for whatever the world might bring. And so, every night before bed, Mother Mouse would teach Baby Mouse a few new words, sometimes in different animal languages, sometimes in the language of the humans who lived in the house above. And who knows? Maybe one day, if Baby Mouse ever found himself in danger again, he would have just the right words to save the day.