The Helmet Headache

Momo mouse was frantically running towards his burrow when he bumped into his friends Mimi and Rini under the peepal tree.

- Dr. K. Rani

“What happened, Momo? Why are you running like that?” asked Rini.

“Don’t ask, Rini! I barely escaped with my life today,” Momo replied.

“You must have done something wrong for sure,” said Rini.

“I went to Bobo bear’s house in search of food today. I accidentally bumped into a stick there. Bobo picked it up and threw it at me! It hit the wall and narrowly missed my head—otherwise, I would have been at the hospital,” Momo explained.

“I don’t know why, but as soon as these forest dwellers see us, they start throwing things at us. It’s becoming harder even to find food now. Two days ago, I went to Dora deer’s home to get some fruits and she threw a slipper at me! It hit me right on the head, but luckily it was a rubber slipper. I somehow managed to escape, but I was too embarrassed to tell anyone about it,” said Rini.

“Getting hurt anywhere else is okay, but a knock on the head can be really dangerous, Rini,” Momo said.

“We need to do something to protect our heads. I’m constantly at risk from Kittu cat. Whenever I try to sneak into the house at the edge of the forest, she throws something at me,” Mimi shared her experience.

After talking to his friends, Momo felt a bit lighter. He realised that everyone else was also struggling to find food.

“I’m going to the market to buy a helmet today. From now on, I’ll wear it wherever I go. At least my head will be safe,” Momo said decisively.

“Good idea, Momo. We’ll buy helmets too,” Rini and Mimi said.

At the shop, they saw helmets in all sorts of bright colours. They liked and picked out orange helmets and wore them. As soon as they left the shop wearing the helmets, Cawy crow saw them and started laughing.

“Never seen mice before?” Momo mocked.