# Xmas Extra: A Mouse At Christmas

An episode of [Animal Tales: The Kids' Story Podcast](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1644596989), 25 Dec 2025, 16 min.

Audio: https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/69042529/atextra005_amouseatchristmas_mixdown.mp3

Especially for Christmas, here's a repeat of one of our earlier Christmas stories. Written especially for this podcast by Simon. If you enjoyed this story, please do leave us a review. And, if you'd like to suggest an animal for a future Animal Tales story, you can do so by emailing podcast@animaltales.uk. We would love to hear from you. Animal Tales Books! Collections of Animal Tales stories are available to buy exclusively at Amazon. Simply search for Animal Tales Short Stories or follow this link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CLJQZ9C9?binding=paperback&ref=dbs_dp_sirpi Become a PREMIUM Subscriber You can now enjoy Animal Tales by becoming a Premium Subscriber. This gets you: • All episodes in our catalogue advert free • Bonus Premium-only episodes (one per week) which will never be used on the main podcast • We guarantee to use one of your animal suggestions in a story You can sign up through Apple Podcasts or through Supercast and there are both monthly and yearly plans available. Discover a brand new story every Monday, Wednesday and Friday – just for you! You can find more Animal Tales at https://www.spreaker.com/show/animal-tales-the-kids-story-podcast A Note About The Adverts In order to allow us to make these stories we offer a premium subscription and run adverts. The adverts are not chosen by us, but played automatically depending on the platform you listen through (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc) and the country you live in. The adverts may even be different if you listen to the story twice. We have had a handful of instances where an advert has played that is not suitable for a family audience, despite the podcast clearly being labelled for children. If you’re concerned about an advert you hear, please contact the platform you are listening to directly. Spotify, in particular, has proven problematic in the past, for both inappropriate adverts and the volume at which the adverts play. If you find this happening, please let Spotify know via their Facebook customer care page. As creators, we want your child’s experience to be a pleasurable one. Running adverts is necessary to allow us to operate, but please do consider the premium subscription service as an alternative – it’s advert free.

## Transcript

[0:12] Speaker 1: Yale. Hello, it's Josephine here at the Animal Tales podcast.
[0:19] Speaker 1: We don't normally repeat stories, but as it's nearly Christmas,
[0:23] Speaker 1: we thought you might like to hear some of our
[0:25] Speaker 1: earlier Christmas stories again, So if you're sitting comfortably, I'll
[0:30] Speaker 1: begin A mouse at Christmas. It had been a cold
[0:37] Speaker 1: winter with deep snow across Scotland, but on this day
[0:41] Speaker 1: a pale sun had risen in the sky and there
[0:44] Speaker 1: was the promise of a nicer day. A drift of
[0:47] Speaker 1: snow had banked up against the shed in the garden,
[0:51] Speaker 1: and if any one had been paying attention to it,
[0:53] Speaker 1: they'd have noticed movement. There. Tiny feet scratched from behind
[0:58] Speaker 1: the snow drift, slowly breaking through to create a hole.
[1:03] Speaker 1: And out of this hole poked a small nose and
[1:07] Speaker 1: many whiskers. What a beautiful day, said the mouse. Gazing
[1:13] Speaker 1: across the blanket of snow, he could see right across
[1:17] Speaker 1: the garden to the house that stood at the far end. Strangely,
[1:22] Speaker 1: the house looked different from the last time he had
[1:24] Speaker 1: seen it, before the snow had begun to fall. It
[1:28] Speaker 1: was now dressed with colored lights, with even more shining
[1:32] Speaker 1: from inside. That's pretty said the little mouse, But what
[1:38] Speaker 1: does it mean? His own home here beneath the shed
[1:43] Speaker 1: was dark and cramped, and the only light he received
[1:47] Speaker 1: was that which spilled through his doorway. But he liked
[1:51] Speaker 1: the colorful lights on the house before him, and he
[1:54] Speaker 1: couldn't help wishing that he could have some of his own.
[1:59] Speaker 1: Making the hole bigger, the mouse was able to climb
[2:02] Speaker 1: out and stand upon the snow. So tiny and light
[2:07] Speaker 1: was he that he didn't sink through. He looked at
[2:11] Speaker 1: the colorful lights once more and decided he wanted to
[2:15] Speaker 1: know more about them. He'd go and take a closer look.
[2:20] Speaker 1: So off he went, keeping close to the garden's edge
[2:24] Speaker 1: and the cover of bushes and plants that grew there.
[2:28] Speaker 1: When he reached the rhododendron bush, the snow beneath was thin,
[2:33] Speaker 1: and the mouse could see a large hole in the
[2:35] Speaker 1: earth beside its roots. Except the hole wasn't empty. A
[2:41] Speaker 1: badger leaned out from it on her elbows, studying the
[2:45] Speaker 1: house and its lights at the end of the garden. Hello,
[2:50] Speaker 1: said the mouse, May I pass by your home? The
[2:55] Speaker 1: badger hadn't even noticed the mouse approach, and seemed surprised
[2:59] Speaker 1: to see the little rodent stood so close. I do
[3:03] Speaker 1: beg your pardon, said the badger. I was quite captivated
[3:08] Speaker 1: by the pretty lights that have appeared on the house.
[3:12] Speaker 1: What do you suppose they mean? I don't know, admitted
[3:17] Speaker 1: the mouse. But I'm going there now to find out
[3:22] Speaker 1: you are, asked the badger with surprise. But there are
[3:26] Speaker 1: humans in the house. You are a brave mouse to
[3:30] Speaker 1: do such a thing. Not brave, said the mouse, just curious.
[3:38] Speaker 1: The badger thought about this for a moment and then asked,
[3:42] Speaker 1: may I come with you? Of course, said the mouse
[3:46] Speaker 1: with a smile. I would like that, so the badger
[3:51] Speaker 1: emerged from her hole stretched. Then the pair headed on
[3:55] Speaker 1: their way. Beyond the rhododendrons was a garden bench. The
[4:01] Speaker 1: drifting snow had covered most of it, although a hollow
[4:05] Speaker 1: had been created beneath it offered some shelter from the weather,
[4:09] Speaker 1: and was currently occupied by a curl of orange fur,
[4:14] Speaker 1: a fox. The fox's nose rested upon the tail that
[4:19] Speaker 1: was wrapped around it, staring intently at the house as
[4:23] Speaker 1: the mouse and the badger passed. Do excuse us, said
[4:28] Speaker 1: the mouse. He was naturally wary of foxes. We're just
[4:33] Speaker 1: passing by. Where are you going, asked the fox. Surely
[4:40] Speaker 1: not towards the house. That's precisely where we're going, said
[4:46] Speaker 1: the mouse. But but spluttered the fox, what about all
[4:53] Speaker 1: those strange lights? Why are they there? We don't know,
[4:59] Speaker 1: said the mouse. We're going to find out. The fox
[5:04] Speaker 1: looked stunned by this piece of news. You both must
[5:08] Speaker 1: be very brave, he said. Not brave, said the badger,
[5:14] Speaker 1: just curious. The fox twitched uncomfortably at this, and he
[5:20] Speaker 1: wrestled with what the badger and the mouse were up to.
[5:24] Speaker 1: I've been watching the lights for quite a while. Now
[5:28] Speaker 1: I'd like to understand what they mean. May I come
[5:32] Speaker 1: with you? The mouse looked up at the badger, who
[5:36] Speaker 1: shrugged and said, three of us can find out just
[5:39] Speaker 1: as well as two. The fox duly uncurled himself from
[5:44] Speaker 1: out of his hollow, and the three animals moved on.
[5:49] Speaker 1: The badger's and fox's paws crunched upon the snow, while
[5:54] Speaker 1: the mouse's feet pattered across the surface as the house
[5:58] Speaker 1: before them drew near. Now they could see into the
[6:01] Speaker 1: downstairs windows, where the decorations were hung, and further lights sparkled.
[6:08] Speaker 1: Can you see what I see? Asked the mouse. I
[6:13] Speaker 1: do believe I can, said the surprised badger. Surely it
[6:18] Speaker 1: cannot be right, added the fox. It's a tree, said
[6:24] Speaker 1: the mouse. But it's in doors, stated the badger, and
[6:31] Speaker 1: covered in more lights, observed the fox. The mouse scratched
[6:37] Speaker 1: his head. But why what's it all for? They were
[6:43] Speaker 1: close now, and so used the wall of the house
[6:46] Speaker 1: as cover. As they crept up to a window. Peering in,
[6:51] Speaker 1: they could spy a man passing a brightly wrapped box
[6:54] Speaker 1: to his child, who then tore at the paper with delight.
[7:00] Speaker 1: What's he doing, asked the badger. He's making a mess,
[7:05] Speaker 1: that's what he's doing, noted the fox, hm, said the mouse.
[7:12] Speaker 1: But we still don't know why. Then, to the immense
[7:17] Speaker 1: horror of his two companions, the little mouse tapped on
[7:21] Speaker 1: the glass. The fox and the badger froze as the
[7:26] Speaker 1: family all turned to stare at them. Excuse me, said
[7:32] Speaker 1: the mouse, raising his voice as loud as he could
[7:35] Speaker 1: to be heard through the glass. But what's going on inside?
[7:42] Speaker 1: The boy set down his unwrapped box and crossed to
[7:46] Speaker 1: the window. He bent down so that he could see
[7:49] Speaker 1: the little mouse more clearly. I can't hear you very well,
[7:54] Speaker 1: he said, Go to the door. I'll let you in.
[7:59] Speaker 1: Moths later, a rather surprised family found themselves with a mouse,
[8:04] Speaker 1: a badger, and a fox on their sofa. For their part,
[8:10] Speaker 1: the animals were gazing in awe at all of the
[8:13] Speaker 1: vivid colors and bright lights that decorated the room. Mouth
[8:18] Speaker 1: watering smells wafted in from the kitchen, while cheery, joyful
[8:22] Speaker 1: music played gently in the background. It's wonderful, said the mouse,
[8:29] Speaker 1: But what's it all for. It's Christmas, said the boy,
[8:36] Speaker 1: introducing himself as Finn. But what's Christmas? Wondered the mouse.
[8:43] Speaker 1: What does it mean? Finn turned to his dad, who
[8:48] Speaker 1: explained it can mean different things to different people, he said,
[8:54] Speaker 1: But for us, Christmas is a time for family, for
[8:59] Speaker 1: spending time together, added Finn's mum, like now when we
[9:04] Speaker 1: open our gifts, or later when we play games, or
[9:09] Speaker 1: when we eat Christmas dinner, said Finn, with a big grin.
[9:14] Speaker 1: At the mention of dinner, the little mouse's stomach rumbled. Sorry,
[9:19] Speaker 1: he said, embarrassed. It's been too difficult to leave my
[9:23] Speaker 1: home before today, so I'm terribly hungry. Then you must
[9:29] Speaker 1: join us for dinner, insisted Finn's dad. Oh no, You
[9:34] Speaker 1: mustn't do that, said the badger, still feeling nervous to
[9:38] Speaker 1: be inside the house. It's really no bother, said Finn's mum.
[9:45] Speaker 1: We've plenty of food and sharing is an important part
[9:49] Speaker 1: of Christmas. Reluctantly, the badger agreed, and she was glad
[9:55] Speaker 1: that she did. Finn's dad had to stack cushions on
[9:59] Speaker 1: chairs so that the fox and the badger could reach,
[10:03] Speaker 1: while the mouse had a special table and chair made
[10:06] Speaker 1: from small boxes that were set on the tabletop itself.
[10:10] Speaker 1: There are Christmas crackers to pull before they were served
[10:13] Speaker 1: with the most delicious meal any of the three creatures
[10:16] Speaker 1: had ever tasted. In no time, they were settled into
[10:21] Speaker 1: the unusual surroundings. Such was the friendliness and generosity of
[10:26] Speaker 1: their hosts that they couldn't help but enjoy themselves, swapping
[10:31] Speaker 1: stories and laughing as they did. By the time they
[10:35] Speaker 1: couldn't eat another crumb, Finn led them back to the
[10:38] Speaker 1: sofa and asked the three animals to wait. He returned
[10:43] Speaker 1: with three hastily wrapped parcels that he placed on their laps.
[10:48] Speaker 1: What are these, asked the mouse. Christmas presents, said Finn,
[10:55] Speaker 1: But what are they for? The mouse? Wondered brings them,
[11:01] Speaker 1: Nn explained, but well, I guess he didn't know you
[11:05] Speaker 1: were going to be here, so I've used some of
[11:08] Speaker 1: the paper I've already unwrapped to create a gift for
[11:11] Speaker 1: each of you. Go on open them, Finn encouraged. The
[11:17] Speaker 1: fox unwrapped a small green scarf, the badger unwrapped a
[11:22] Speaker 1: knitted hat, and the mouse found himself the proud owner
[11:26] Speaker 1: of a mitten. He was so small compared to it
[11:30] Speaker 1: that he could use it as a sleeping bag. I'm
[11:34] Speaker 1: too big for all of those now, but I think
[11:36] Speaker 1: you might be able to use them, Vinn explained. The
[11:41] Speaker 1: animals watched as the family opened more gifts before they
[11:45] Speaker 1: all played games together, and when this was done, Finn
[11:50] Speaker 1: selected a Christmas movie so he could show them who
[11:53] Speaker 1: Santa was. It was dark outside by the time the
[11:57] Speaker 1: movie ended, and the three animals found themselves yawning upon
[12:01] Speaker 1: the soft, comfy sofa. I think it's time for us
[12:05] Speaker 1: to go home, said the fox. Otherwise we'll be sleeping
[12:10] Speaker 1: here too. You'd be most welcome to stay, said Finn's dad,
[12:16] Speaker 1: but the animals insisted that they'd stayed long enough it
[12:20] Speaker 1: was time for them to go home. Stood at the window,
[12:24] Speaker 1: Finn's family watched the three animals disappear into the darkness,
[12:29] Speaker 1: the fox wearing his scarf, the badger wearing her hat,
[12:34] Speaker 1: and the mouse clutching his rolled up mitten held in
[12:37] Speaker 1: place with a length of ribbon. Thank you for inviting
[12:42] Speaker 1: me along to day, said the fox as he parted
[12:45] Speaker 1: ways with the badger and the mouse beside the bench.
[12:49] Speaker 1: I've had a wonderful time. He disappeared into the undergrowth beyond,
[12:55] Speaker 1: whistling a Christmas tune. I've enjoyed myself, two, said the
[13:01] Speaker 1: badger a little later, as she prepared to enter her
[13:04] Speaker 1: hole beneath the rhododendron bush. Goodbye, little mouse, and a
[13:10] Speaker 1: merry Christmas to you, she added with a giggle. Back
[13:15] Speaker 1: at the shed. The mouse looked back towards the brightly
[13:18] Speaker 1: lit house and smiled about the new friends he had made.
[13:23] Speaker 1: Once inside, he undid the ribbon and rolled out the
[13:27] Speaker 1: mitten before snuggling down inside. It was warm and toasty,
[13:33] Speaker 1: just right, and now I know what Christmas is, he
[13:39] Speaker 1: said happily before dropping off to sleep. The next morning,
[13:45] Speaker 1: Finn couldn't help but go straight to the window where
[13:47] Speaker 1: he'd first seen the three animal faces peering in. It
[13:52] Speaker 1: was another crisp day, with a pale blue sky reaching
[13:56] Speaker 1: across the snowy landscape. He looked about, eager for sight
[14:00] Speaker 1: of his new friends, but alas they were nowhere to
[14:04] Speaker 1: be seen. Fortunately, there was still the snow, so Finn
[14:10] Speaker 1: donned his boots, coat, hat and gloves and headed outside
[14:14] Speaker 1: to make a snowman. He began by rolling a snowball
[14:19] Speaker 1: across the ground, and as it rolled, it grew larger
[14:23] Speaker 1: and larger as more snow stuck to it. The crunch,
[14:28] Speaker 1: crunch crunch sound of his boots as he worked meant
[14:32] Speaker 1: he didn't hear anyone get close. In fact, he didn't
[14:36] Speaker 1: know anyone was there until they spoke. Is this to
[14:41] Speaker 1: do with Christmas? Too? Asked the mouse. Finn stopped what
[14:46] Speaker 1: he was doing and grinned to see the mouse, the
[14:50] Speaker 1: badger and the fox watching him. It can be, replied Finn,
[14:56] Speaker 1: But building a snowman can be done whenever it snows.
[15:00] Speaker 1: Would you like to try, which, of course, as you've
[15:05] Speaker 1: probably guessed, they did. Animal fat badgers are found throughout Scotland,
[15:16] Speaker 1: but rarely seen because they're a nocturnal animal, only coming
[15:20] Speaker 1: out at night When they do, they can eat several
[15:23] Speaker 1: hundred worms before they head back to bed. Similarly, foxes
[15:29] Speaker 1: are also active at night, but can be seen in
[15:32] Speaker 1: the daytime too if you're lucky. Scottish foxes are rarer
[15:37] Speaker 1: in the Highlands due to their being less prey to
[15:40] Speaker 1: feast upon. The mouse in our story is the field
[15:44] Speaker 1: or wood mouse. They eat insects, fruit, nuts, and seeds,
[15:49] Speaker 1: and are often confused with similar creatures such as the
[15:53] Speaker 1: house mouse, yellow necked mouse, voles, and shrews. We hope
[15:59] Speaker 1: you all like this special Christmas story. Thank you for
[16:02] Speaker 1: the suggestion, Finn and Simon. Before I go, don't forget
[16:07] Speaker 1: to check out the Animal Tales books on Amazon. Great
[16:10] Speaker 1: for encouraging reading or for revisiting your favorite stories. I
[16:16] Speaker 1: look forward to you all joining us next time for
[16:18] Speaker 1: another great animal tale. Good Bye,

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