The little white mouse sat and stared

at a wall in a big old house,

just a small crack in the skirting

perfect size for a single mouse.

 

With a pencil and flat paper

a rolled up measuring tape

he checked the small dimensions

for his tiny white mousey shape.

 

This place might just be perfect

with some paint and tiny nails

when along came a rat with

a pink wormlike, very long tail.

 

The rat sat and pondered

holding his super sized limb,

‘you cannot live in there’ he said,

'the nasty cat would find him.

 

If the pussy doesn’t get you

Then the humans here sure will

with traps, deadly rodent poison

they might even call Rentokil!

 

They will leave a chunk of cheese

and some crumbs upon a trap,

then wait for a little while

just to hear it go……. SNAP!’

 

‘not to worry’ said the mouse,

‘many thanks for the tip,

now how do you do sir rat

you can call me Mr Chip…’

 

‘Oh think nothing of it!’

said the colourful young rat

whilst scratching his lengthy tail,

tipping his bright purple hat.

 

‘The name’s Cederick La Fleur

and how do you do…

I have a lovely little studio

near the paint and the glue.’

 

So Chip followed Cederick

with a skip and a hop,

through the lounge and the kitchen

to his little workshop.

 

‘we have arrived at my place,’

said La Fleur with glee

‘its a bit of a mess…

I am an artist you see!’

 

Cederick spoke very trendy

said ‘hey man look a round’

whilst he chattered and pointed

telling Chip what he’d found.

 

There were wood saws and hammers

there were tools all around,

some screwdrivers and spanners

near some wood that was bound

 

Some tacks and long nails

tap, knock, hammer them through

but when all fixings fail

there’s the paint and the glue.

 

Chip tip toed through squinting

wiped his feet on the mat

saw great paintings and  sculptures

of mouse traps and big cats!

 

‘Oh my!’ and ‘oh dear!,

why do you paint things like that?’

‘Well its terribly fashionable’,

pointed out Cederick the rat.

 

‘I am known by collectors,

all the galleries for sure…

they all know the great name of

young Ceddy La Fleur!’

 

‘I sell to the Rich and the Famous’

‘Valuable?’…‘erm,  oh yes very,

in fact my best customers

are Micky and Jerry!’

 

‘I do not know those mice at all?’

said Chip, wide-eyed with dismay,

'I’m not really into celebrities

Nor fashion these days…’

 

‘Don’t worry’ Ceddy told him

‘now that doesn’t really matter…

your welcome to stay a while

for some tea and a natter…'

 

So they settle down at Ceddy’s

for some tea and cheesecakes,

they talked cats and dogs