Mina and the Missing Mitten
A cosy winter story about looking carefully and being kind.
Mina had a pair of bright red mittens that her grandmother had knitted. One snowy morning, she put them on and ran outside to play. By lunchtime, one mitten had gone.
Mina looked in her pocket. Not there. She looked by the gate. Not there. She looked at the snowman, who held out his stick arms and did not know either.
Then Mina noticed something on the ground: tiny footprints, small and neat. “Someone has been here,” she whispered. She followed them across the snow.
The footprints went round the fence, under the bush, and up to a hollow log. Mina bent down and peeked in.
Inside the log, a small brown mouse was curled up inside the red mitten, fast asleep. Her whiskers twitched. She was snug as a bun in an oven.
Mina’s heart went soft. “She was cold,” Mina thought. “She needed it more than I did.” She tiptoed away so she would not wake her.
Mina went home and told her grandmother. “Oh, what a kind girl you are,” said her grandmother. “I will knit you another pair, and this time, I will make a tiny one for the mouse.”
A week later, Mina carried a tiny pink mitten to the hollow log. She left it by the door. The next morning, there was a small acorn on the doorstep. It said thank you in mouse.
✨ Key Takeaways
- When we lose something, we can look carefully for clues.
- Sharing what we have with someone who needs it is a kindness.
- Small kindnesses can be returned in surprising ways.
💬 Questions for Discussion & Reflection
- Where did Mina find her mitten?
- Why did Mina let the mouse keep it?
- How could you help someone who feels cold or lonely?
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